TY - JOUR
T1 - Childhood maltreatment and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in adult men and women:Findings from project EAT
AU - Emery, Rebecca L.
AU - Yoon, Cynthia
AU - Mason, Susan M.
AU - Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/8/1
Y1 - 2021/8/1
N2 - This study examined gender differences in the association between childhood maltreatment and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in adulthood. Data were derived from 1647 adults (ages 27–33) participating in a population-based, longitudinal study (Project EAT-IV: Eating Among Teens and Young Adults, 1998–2016). Childhood maltreatment (sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect) and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors (overeating, binge eating, extreme weight control behaviors, unhealthy weight control behaviors, chronic dieting, weight and shape concerns) were assessed. Relative risk regression models were used to examine whether childhood maltreatment was related to individual disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Gender differences in these associations were explored. A history of any childhood maltreatment was associated with more than 60% greater risk for chronic dieting and overeating, with additional associations found for binge eating, weight and shape concerns, and unhealthy weight control behaviors. All types of abuse and neglect were associated with at least one type of disordered eating outcome. Examination of the point estimates indicated that emotional neglect was most consistently related to higher risk for disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Although there were no statistically significant gender differences in the association between childhood maltreatment and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, the patterning of these effects highlighted unique qualitative similarities and differences in these relationships between men and women. Taken together, these findings implicate childhood maltreatment, particularly emotional neglect, as a meaningful risk factor for problematic eating outcomes in both men and women during adulthood.
AB - This study examined gender differences in the association between childhood maltreatment and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in adulthood. Data were derived from 1647 adults (ages 27–33) participating in a population-based, longitudinal study (Project EAT-IV: Eating Among Teens and Young Adults, 1998–2016). Childhood maltreatment (sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect) and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors (overeating, binge eating, extreme weight control behaviors, unhealthy weight control behaviors, chronic dieting, weight and shape concerns) were assessed. Relative risk regression models were used to examine whether childhood maltreatment was related to individual disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Gender differences in these associations were explored. A history of any childhood maltreatment was associated with more than 60% greater risk for chronic dieting and overeating, with additional associations found for binge eating, weight and shape concerns, and unhealthy weight control behaviors. All types of abuse and neglect were associated with at least one type of disordered eating outcome. Examination of the point estimates indicated that emotional neglect was most consistently related to higher risk for disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Although there were no statistically significant gender differences in the association between childhood maltreatment and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, the patterning of these effects highlighted unique qualitative similarities and differences in these relationships between men and women. Taken together, these findings implicate childhood maltreatment, particularly emotional neglect, as a meaningful risk factor for problematic eating outcomes in both men and women during adulthood.
KW - Abuse
KW - Childhood maltreatment
KW - Disordered eating attitudes
KW - Disordered eating behaviors
KW - Neglect
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103275521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85103275521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105224
DO - 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105224
M3 - Article
C2 - 33766616
AN - SCOPUS:85103275521
SN - 0195-6663
VL - 163
JO - Appetite
JF - Appetite
M1 - 105224
ER -