Impulsive People More Likely to Binge Eat, Study Finds

Sharon Moore June 01, 2015

Those who tend to act rashly are more likely to binge eat when experiencing negative feelings, a US study found.

In the study, 14 per cent of people who were unable to control their eating had a tendency to act impulsively when experiencing negative emotions.

’It is human nature to want to turn to something for comfort after a bad day, but what our research found is the tendency to act rashly when faced with negative emotions is a personality trait that can lead to binge eating.’ says Professor Kelly Klump of Michigan State University.

The study of 600 female twins suggests binge eating is tied to how impulsive they are, not just during tough times. But people without the disorder, who simply overeat from time to time, might also be affected by negative emotions, the researchers note.

’Both overeating and feeling out of control when eating small or normal amounts of food were related to rash action when experiencing negative emotions.’ says Professor Sarah Racine of Ohio University, the lead author of the study. She said possible relationships between binge eating and negative urgency reflect impairments in behavioural control over eating when upset.

One in two in people who seek help for their weight problem eats compulsively, and it is estimated that about 12 million people in the UK suffer from binge eating to some extent.

Professor Klump explained: ’If we can treat the underlying tendency to jump to eating when feeling negative emotions like stress, we may be able to help thousands of individuals who suffer from a range of eating disorders.’

Binge eating is a common disorder and a common cause of weight gain. One in two in people who seek help for their weight problem eats compulsively, and it is estimated about 12 million people in the UK suffer from binge eating to some extent.

The findings were published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Source of this article: Do YOU reach for junk food after a bad day? You must be impulsive: People who act rashly are ’more likely to binge eat’