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Effects of a food-specific inhibition training in individuals with binge eating disorder—findings from a randomized controlled proof-of-concept study

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Impulsivity might contribute to the development and maintenance of obesity and eating disorders. Patients suffering from binge eating disorder (BED) show an impulsive eating pattern characterized by regular binge eating episodes. Novel behavioral interventions increasing inhibitory control could improve eating behavior in BED. We piloted a novel food-specific inhibition training in individuals with BED.

Methods

N = 22 BED patients according to SCID-I were randomly assigned to three sessions of a training or control condition. In both conditions, pictures of high-caloric food items were presented in peripheral vision on a computer screen while assessing gaze behavior. The training group had to suppress the urge to turn their gaze towards these pictures (i.e., to perform antisaccades). The control group was allowed to freely explore the pictures. We assessed self-reported food craving, food addiction, and wanting/liking of food pictures pre- and post-intervention.

Results

Twenty participants completed the study. The training proved to be feasible and acceptable. Patients of the training group significantly improved inhibitory control towards high-caloric food stimuli. Both groups reported a significantly lower number of binge eating episodes in the last four weeks after termination of the study. No changes were found in food craving, food addiction, liking, and wanting ratings.

Conclusions

A food-specific inhibition training could be a useful element in the treatment of BED and other eating disorders; however, larger efficacy studies in patient samples are needed to investigate the efficacy of this and similar training approaches.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all patients for their participation in the present study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tuebingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Katrin Elisabeth Giel, Eva Speer, Kathrin Schag, Elisabeth Johanna Leehr & Stephan Zipfel

Authors
  1. Katrin Elisabeth Giel
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  2. Eva Speer
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  3. Kathrin Schag
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  4. Elisabeth Johanna Leehr
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  5. Stephan Zipfel
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Correspondence to Katrin Elisabeth Giel.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Giel, K.E., Speer, E., Schag, K. et al. Effects of a food-specific inhibition training in individuals with binge eating disorder—findings from a randomized controlled proof-of-concept study. Eat Weight Disord 22, 345–351 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-017-0371-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-017-0371-3

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