Implicit cognitive processes in binge-eating disorder and obesity.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Binge-eating disorder (BED) is common in obese individuals and linked to explicit self-esteem and weight bias.
• Implicit cognitive processes in BED, such as implicit self-esteem and weight bias, are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate group differences in explicit and implicit self-esteem and weight bias in obese individuals with BED.
• To examine the impact of implicit cognitive processes on global eating disorder psychopathology in BED.

Main Methods:

• Recruited obese participants with BED, obese controls (OB), and normal weight controls (CG).
• Assessed explicit and implicit self-esteem and weight bias using the Implicit Association Test (IAT).

Main Results:

• The BED group showed lower explicit self-esteem and higher explicit weight bias than CG and OB.
• BED and CG had similar high implicit weight bias, while OB did not; all groups had positive implicit self-esteem, but lower in BED.
• Explicit and implicit measures were uncorrelated, but both predicted global eating disorder psychopathology.

Conclusions:

• Implicit self-esteem and implicit weight bias are important in BED, beyond explicit measures.
• These implicit cognitive processes may play a role in the onset and maintenance of BED.
• Interventions for BED should consider targeting implicit cognitive processes to improve psychological treatments.