Binge Eating and Loss of Control in College

BACKGROUND: Loss of control (LOC) over eating is a cardinal feature of the DSM-5 definition of binge eating (BE). While this behavior is frequently reported in college-age women, there is limited research on descriptions of loss of control from first-person accounts from individuals reporting LOC associated with BE. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate descriptions of LOC associated with BE episodes in college-age women who reported recent BE behavior. STUDY DESIGN: A secondary analysis of previously collected qualitative data on BE behaviors in college students was conducted. Two hundred and twenty-one college-age women’s (age = 19.77 ± 1.03) comments regarding the experiences of LOC associated with BE episodes were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Codes were inductively generated allowing categories to emerge from the data codes. RESULTS: Three major overarching descriptive categories were identified: (1) LOC over eating, (2) feelings associated with the LOC, and (3) cognitive dispositions (thoughts) associated with LOC during a BE episode. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study expand the current literature on LOC over eating and provide a number of potential targets for intervention with college-age women who report BE behaviors