ON THE RELATION OF DIETING AND BINGEING IN BULIMIA-NERVOSA

The continuum model of bulimia nervosa suggests that dieting plays a m ajor role in the etiology and maintenance of bulimia. However, a previ ous study (M. R. Lowe et al., 1996) recently found no relationship bet ween dieting intensity and binge eating problems in nonclinical partic ipants differing widely in eating and weight concerns. The present stu dy extended these findings by examining the relationship between dieti ng and bingeing among individuals with bulimia. Three samples of indiv iduals diagnosed with bulimia were divided into frequent and infrequen t weight-loss dieters and were compared on multiple measures of binge eating. No diet-binge relationship was found in 1 sample, whereas in t he other 2 samples frequent dieters binged less than infrequent dieter s. These results raise new questions about the continuum model of buli mia and suggest that weight-loss dieting may not play as prominent a r ole in the maintenance of bulimia as it does in its initiation.