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. 2019 Feb 1:199:73-78.
doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.11.009. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Heart rate variability and emotion regulation among individuals with obesity and loss of control eating

Kathryn M Godfrey  1 , Adrienne Juarascio  2 , Stephanie Manasse  2 , Arpi Minassian  3 , Victoria Risbrough  3 , Niloofar Afari  3
Affiliations

Heart rate variability and emotion regulation among individuals with obesity and loss of control eating

Kathryn M Godfrey et al. Physiol Behav. .

Abstract

Autonomic nervous system functioning, measured with heart rate variability (HRV), is associated with emotion regulation and likely contributes to binge eating. This study examined the link between HRV and binge eating severity and analyzed changes in HRV as a marker of emotion regulation in individuals with binge eating. Participants (n = 28) with obesity and loss of control eating reported overeating and loss of control episodes and completed an HRV assessment at rest and during a mental stressor. At rest, lower time-domain HRV was linked to more severe loss of control (SDNN B = -0.18, p = 0.03). Frequency-domain HRV was associated with more severe overeating (LFn B = 14.92, p = 0.03; HFn B = -14.81, p = 0.04). Frequency-domain HRV differed between resting and stressed conditions (p's < 0.001). Findings contribute to understanding emotion regulation in binge eating and guide future research and novel intervention development.

Keywords: Binge eating; Emotion regulation; Heart rate variability; Loss of control; Obesity; Overeating.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Mean time- and frequency-domain HRV variables across the lab-based HRV assessment protocol.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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