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Review
. 2025 Nov 11;14(1):79.
doi: 10.1007/s13679-025-00666-4.

Graze Eating and Obesity: A Conceptualization Within the Spectrum of Disordered Eating

Eva Conceição  1 , Andreea Heriseanu  2 , Andrea B Goldschmidt  3
Affiliations
Review

Graze Eating and Obesity: A Conceptualization Within the Spectrum of Disordered Eating

Eva Conceição et al. Curr Obes Rep. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: This review examines recent literature on grazing and its two subtypes - compulsive (CG) and non-compulsive (NCG) - utilizing a consistent definition and psychometrically sound instruments.

Recent findings: Grazing is a distinct problematic eating behavior, prevalent across various weight, age, and sexes groups, with higher rates observed in younger adults and older children/adolescents. Grazing has associations with socioeconomic status, and scores differ between countries, suggesting cultural differences. Grazing is consistently linked to higher body mass index, poor weight loss and metabolic control outcomes after metabolic-bariatric surgery. CG, particularly, has been consistently associated with greater psychological distress, eating disorder psychopathology, affective dysregulation, impulsivity and addictive behaviors, and poorer quality of life. Grazing is a problematic eating behavior associated with loss of control eating, and within the spectrum of disordered eating. Assessing and addressing grazing may be a crucial strategy to mitigate obesity and its associated medical risks.

Keywords: Compulsive Eating; Eating Disorders; Grazing; Loss of Control Eating; Obesity; Problematic Eating Behaviors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1 –
Figure 1 –. The conceptualization of Grazing in the spectrum of eating disorders.
This conceptual model suggests that cognitive and emotional factors influence eating behaviors — specifically, the greater the severity of these cognitive/emotional deficits, the greater the degree of loss of control (LOC) experienced. As the degree of LOC eating increases, so does the severity of eating disorder (ED) psychopathology and overall psychological distress. For example, low levels of emotional eating (which is conceptualized here as an emotional context of eating – not a behavior), negative urgency, and reward sensitivity, etc., are associated with more homeostatic eating patterns and lower psychological distress. In contrast, extreme levels of these cognitive/emotional features lead to more severe experiences of LOC eating — such as those observed in binge eating disorder (BED) or food addiction — and are associated with the highest levels of ED severity, psychological distress and overall impairment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Conceição EM, Mitchell JE, Engel S, Machado PP, Lancaster KK, Wonderlich SA. What is “grazing”? Reviewing its definition, frequency, clinical characteristics, and impact on bariatric surgery outcomes, and proposing a standardized definition. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. 2014;10(5):973–982. - PubMed
    1. Conceição EM, de Lourdes M, Pinto-Bastos A, Vaz AR, Brandão I, Ramalho S. Problematic eating behaviors and psychopathology in patients undergoing bariatric surgery: The mediating role of loss of control eating. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2018;51(6):507–17. - PubMed

    1. Spirou D, Heriseanu AI, Sichieri R, Hay P, Moraes CE, Appolinario JC. Grazing Prevalence and Associations with Eating and General Psychopathology, Body Mass Index, and Quality of Life in a Middle-Income Country. Nutrients. 2023. Jan 20;15(3):557.

      * The authors investigated the prevalence of grazing behaviors and their associations with eating disorders, general psychopathology, body mass index (BMI), and quality of life among adults in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The authors show that economic factors may implicate in rates of grazing although cultural factors may be involved.

    1. Heriseanu AI, Hay P, Touyz S. Grazing behaviour and associations with obesity, eating disorders, and health-related quality of life in the Australian population. Appetite. 2019. Dec 1;143. - PubMed
    1. Heriseanu AI, Hay P, Corbit L, Touyz S. Grazing in adults with obesity and eating disorders: A systematic review of associated clinical features and meta-analysis of prevalence. Clin Psychol Rev. 2017;58:16–32. - PubMed