Food cue-induced craving in individuals with bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder

PLoS One. 2018 Sep 13;13(9):e0204151. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204151. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) or binge-eating disorder (BED) experience more frequent and intense food cravings than individuals without binge eating. However, it is currently unclear whether they also show larger food cue-induced increases in craving (i.e., food cue reactivity) than those without binge eating, as suggested by conditioning theories of binge eating. A group of individuals with BN or BED (binge-eating group, n = 27) and a group of individuals with low trait food craving scores and without binge eating (control group, n = 19) reported their current food craving before and after a food cue exposure. Although food craving intensity significantly increased in both groups, this increase was significantly stronger in the binge-eating group than in the control group. This result is in line with conditioning models of binge eating that propose that food cues are conditioned stimuli that elicit a conditioned response (e.g., food craving) and that this association is stronger in individuals with binge eating. As food craving increased in individuals with low trait food craving scores as well-although to a lesser extent-previous null results might be explained by methodological considerations such as not screening control participants for trait food craving.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Binge-Eating Disorder / physiopathology*
  • Binge-Eating Disorder / psychology
  • Bulimia Nervosa / physiopathology*
  • Bulimia Nervosa / psychology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Conditioning, Classical / physiology*
  • Craving
  • Cues*
  • Feeding Behavior / psychology*
  • Female
  • Food
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This research was partially supported by grants from the Swiss Anorexia Nervosa Foundation (#29-13; #44-15). Ulrike Schmidt receives salary support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London. She is also supported by an NIHR Senior Investigator Award. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, or the Department of Health. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.