Effects of acute food deprivation on eating behavior in eating disorders

Effects of acute food deprivation on eating behavior in bulimic patients an d controls were investigated, it was predicted that food deprivation would increase overall food intake and result in overeating in bulimics. Method: Following 19 hr of food deprivation (in which breakfast and lunch were skip ped), or no deprivation, food intake was measured in 9 inpatients with anor exia nervosa (binge eating/purging subtype, ANB) 10 inpatient (BN/in) and 9 outpatient (BN/out) normal-weight bulimics, and 11 unrestrained and 10 res trained controls. Results: A general trend for increased food intake follow ing deprivation was found. However, only BN/in patients consumed significan tly more and selected higher energy foods following deprivation. ANB patien ts demonstrated the greatest degree of variability in intake and the least magnitude of change in ratings as a function of eating: Discussion: A perio d of acute food deprivation did not trigger marked eating pathology as evid enced by overconsumption. Chronic dietary restraint may be a more potent pr ecipitating factor in overeating than absolute number of hours of food rest riction. (C) 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.