Subclinical binge eating symptoms in early adolescence and its preceding and concurrent factors: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE: Binge eating, loss of control eating and overeating often develop during late childhood or early adolescence. Understanding the presentation of binge eating as early as symptoms manifest and its preceding and concurrent factors is essential to hamper the development of eating disorders. This study examined the prevalence, concurrent and preceding factors (e.g. compensatory behaviors, emotional and behavioral problems) of subclinical binge eating symptoms in early adolescence. METHODS: Data from the population-based Generation R Study were used (n = 3595). At 10 years and 14 years, preceding and concurrent factors including eating behaviors, body dissatisfaction, emotional and behavioral problems and body composition were assessed. At 14 years, 3595 adolescents self-reported on binge eating symptoms in the past 3 months and were categorized into four groups: no symptoms (n = 3143, 87.4%), overeating only (n = 121, 3.4%), loss of control (LOC) eating only (n = 252, 7.0%) or binge eating (i.e. both, n = 79, 2.2%). RESULTS: In total, 452 (12.6%) young adolescents reported subclinical binge eating symptoms. Those who reported LOC eating and binge eating showed most compensatory behaviors (e.g. hide or throw away food, skipping meals). Concurrent emotional and behavioral problems, body dissatisfaction, more emotional-, restrained- and uncontrolled eating, and a higher BMI were associated with subclinical binge eating symptoms. Preceding self-reported emotional and behavioral problems, body dissatisfaction, more restrained eating and higher BMI (both fat mass and fat-free mass) at 10 years were associated with LOC eating and binge eating, but not with overeating. DISCUSSION: Among young adolescents, subclinical binge eating symptoms were common. Considering the high prevalence of LOC eating, and the overlapping preceding and concurrent factors of LOC eating and binge eating compared to overeating, LOC eating seems to be a key symptom of binge eating in early adolescence. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-022-00688-6.