Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 76-11(E), Section: B.

Adviser: Margaret Grey.

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Obesity poses a serious threat to our society; this complex disease has resulted in significant morbidity, mortality, and burden on our healthcare system. While there are several contributing factors, it is well recognized that unhealthy dietary and eating patterns are major causes of this epidemic. Yet, changing dietary and eating patterns is complex. Examining correlates and mechanisms related to different types of obesity-related eating phenotypes will help us to clarify intervention targets.

This dissertation focuses on the eating phenotypes of binge eating and emotional eating and the factors of food cravings, stress, and metabolic abnormalities. In the first paper we examine the concept of binge eating in adolescents who are obese. Next, we examine the moderating effects of gender and race/ethnicity on the relationships among food cravings, binge eating, eating disorder psychopathology, and meeting diagnostic thresholds for binge eating disorder in a community sample. Lastly, we examine whether binge eating and emotional eating mediate the relationship between stress and the metabolic abnormalities of insulin resistance and abdominal obesity. The information presented within this dissertation helps expand the literature on the relationships among binge eating, emotional eating, stress and food cravings.