Loss of control eating in African-American and Caucasian youth

Abstract

Loss of control (LOC) eating, a disinhibited eating behavior shown to predict excessive weight gain in youth, has been reported by African-American children and adolescents. Yet, little is known about how LOC-eating manifests in this population. To investigate potential racial differences in LOC-eating, the Eating Disorder Examination was administered to 185 non-Hispanic African-American and Caucasian youth ages 8-17 y. Objective eating was assessed at two test meals during which youth ate ad libitum from a multi-item lunchtime food array. African-American and Caucasian youth reported a similar prevalence of LOC episodes (24.2% vs. 28.9%, p=.75). Yet, accounting for sex, age, fat-free mass, percent fat mass, height, and socioeconomic status, African-Americans consumed more total energy at both laboratory meals (1608±57 kcal vs. 1362±44 kcal; p<.001). Furthermore, African-American youth reporting LOC consumed the most total energy across both meals (1855±104 kcal) compared to African-Americans without LOC (1524±60 kcal), Caucasians with LOC (1278±68 kcal), and Caucasians without LOC (1399±46 kcal; p<.001). Future research is required to examine whether LOC-eating contributes to the high rates of obesity in African-American youth.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00320177.

Figure 1

African American youth consumed more energy (1608.39 ± 57.33 kcal) in comparison to Caucasian youth (1362.16 ± 44.00 kcal; p <.001). African American youth with reported loss of control consumed the most energy across both meals (1854.75 ± 104.02 kcal) in comparison to African American youth without loss of control (1524.146 ± 59.83 kcal), Caucasian youth with loss of control (1277.93 ± 68.31 kcal), and Caucasian youth without loss of control (1399.46 ± 46.09 kcal; p <.001). Estimates were adjusted for age, sex, percent body fat, fat-free mass, height, socioeconomic status, and meal instruction. Values that do not share a common letter were significantly different at p <.001.