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Associations among affect, diet, and activity and binge-eating severity using ecological momentary assessment in a non-clinical sample of middle-aged fathers

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Abstract

Purpose

Knowledge of within-day factors associated with binge-eating severity among middle-aged fathers is limited. The purpose of the current report was to examine within-day associations of affect, diet, and activity in relation to binge-eating severity using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) in men.

Methods

Twenty-three middle-aged fathers completed 8 days of EMA and wore accelerometers to objectively assess activity. Generalized estimating equations assessed relationships among affect, diet, and activity and binge-eating severity.

Results

When positive affect was above average, men reported greater binge-eating severity in the next 2 h. Oppositely, when negative affect was above average, men reported less binge-eating severity in the next 2 h. At times when men reported consumption of sweets and fast food, they reported higher binge-eating severity during the same 2-h window. Men with greater average levels of light activity reported less overall binge-eating severity.

Conclusions

Findings show that affect, unhealthy food intake, and light activity could be targeted among middle-aged fathers to reduce binge-eating severity and prevent eating disorders.

Level of evidence

Level III: Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grant #12-5176-2302 from the Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

Funding

This research was supported by grant #12–5176-2302 from the Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 Soto St., Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA

    Tyler B. Mason, Bridgette Do, Daniel Chu, Britni R. Belcher & Genevieve F. Dunton

  2. Department of Health Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA

    Nanette V. Lopez

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  1. Tyler B. Mason
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  2. Bridgette Do
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  3. Daniel Chu
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Contributions

Study conceptualization and design were performed by BB, GD, and NL. Data management and processing was performed by DC. The first draft of the manuscript was written by TM and BD. All authors provided commented on the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Tyler B. Mason.

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The Institutional Review Board of the University of Southern California. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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All eligible participants completed an electronic informed consent form prior to participation in the study.

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Mason, T.B., Do, B., Chu, D. et al. Associations among affect, diet, and activity and binge-eating severity using ecological momentary assessment in a non-clinical sample of middle-aged fathers. Eat Weight Disord 27, 543–551 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-021-01191-8

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