{"title":"Co-occurrence between eating disorder symptoms and addictive behaviors among adult women: a controlled analysis.","authors":"Yasuo Murayama, Aiko Ohya","doi":"10.1186/s40337-025-01361-4","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While associations between abnormal eating behaviors and attitudes (AEBs) and addictive behaviors have been explored, existing research does not adequately control for confounding variables, leaving the possibility of spurious correlations. Therefore, this study aims to provide clearer insights by examining the relationships between anorexic and bulimic symptoms (i.e., drive for thinness and binge eating) and specific addictive behaviors, while controlling for psychological distress and multiple addictive behaviors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a sample of 2,000 adult women, the participants self-reported their drive for thinness, binge eating, psychological distress, alcohol misuse, problematic internet use, compulsive shopping, and problem gambling.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Multiple regression analyses revealed that the drive for thinness was positively and negatively associated with alcohol misuse and compulsive shopping, and problem gambling, respectively. Binge eating was positively linked to problematic internet use and compulsive shopping. However, the effect sizes of these associations ranged from very small to small.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>While the strength of the associations between AEBs and addictive behaviors among adult women, as reported in previous research, may reflect spurious correlations, the co-occurrence of different types of AEBs appears to be far more pronounced.</p>","PeriodicalId":48605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eating Disorders","volume":"13 1","pages":"172"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12341197/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Eating Disorders","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01361-4","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"NUTRITION & DIETETICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: While associations between abnormal eating behaviors and attitudes (AEBs) and addictive behaviors have been explored, existing research does not adequately control for confounding variables, leaving the possibility of spurious correlations. Therefore, this study aims to provide clearer insights by examining the relationships between anorexic and bulimic symptoms (i.e., drive for thinness and binge eating) and specific addictive behaviors, while controlling for psychological distress and multiple addictive behaviors.
Methods: Using a sample of 2,000 adult women, the participants self-reported their drive for thinness, binge eating, psychological distress, alcohol misuse, problematic internet use, compulsive shopping, and problem gambling.
Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that the drive for thinness was positively and negatively associated with alcohol misuse and compulsive shopping, and problem gambling, respectively. Binge eating was positively linked to problematic internet use and compulsive shopping. However, the effect sizes of these associations ranged from very small to small.
Conclusion: While the strength of the associations between AEBs and addictive behaviors among adult women, as reported in previous research, may reflect spurious correlations, the co-occurrence of different types of AEBs appears to be far more pronounced.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Eating Disorders is the first open access, peer-reviewed journal publishing leading research in the science and clinical practice of eating disorders. It disseminates research that provides answers to the important issues and key challenges in the field of eating disorders and to facilitate translation of evidence into practice.
The journal publishes research on all aspects of eating disorders namely their epidemiology, nature, determinants, neurobiology, prevention, treatment and outcomes. The scope includes, but is not limited to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders. Related areas such as important co-morbidities, obesity, body image, appetite, food and eating are also included. Articles about research methodology and assessment are welcomed where they advance the field of eating disorders.