THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BINGE-EATING SEVERITY AND BODY-FAT IN NONPURGE BINGE-EATING WOMEN

The relationship between binge eating severity, measured by caloric in take, and amount of body fat, measured by percent of body fat and body mass index (BMI), was examined in nonpurge binge eating women. Althou gh there was a low, but significant, relationship between binge eating severity and BMI, the relationship was not significant between binge eating severity and percent of body fat, Age and weight cycling were t he best predictors for percent of body fat, while weight cycling alone was the best predictor for BMI. It cannot be assumed that caloric int ake during binge eating is the central cause of obesity in nonpurge bi nge eating women. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.