Binge eating is not associated with elevated eating, weight, or shape concerns in the absence of the desire to lose weight in men

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether the desire to lose weight moderates the association between objective binge eating episodes (OBEs) and eating and body image-related psychopathology in men.

Method: Participants (N = 404) completed questionnaires assessing eating and body image psychopathology and were grouped based on the presence of OBEs and the desire to lose weight.

Results: The desire to lose weight was found to moderate the relationships between the presence of OBEs and restraint, eating concerns, shape concerns, and weight concerns but not the presence of fasting, purging, driven exercise, or body image dissatisfaction. In fact, men who experienced OBEs engaged in similar rates of purging regardless of whether they desired to lose weight.

Discussion: The results of this study suggest that disordered eating behaviors may be manifested differently in some men compared to what is typically observed in women, with over one-quarter of men who reported binge eating following this unusual pattern.