Ecological momentary assessment of weight-related stress predicting eating disorder and affective symptoms

• Published in: Body image Vol. 53; p. 101891
• Main Authors: Morales, Jeremy C., Smith, Kathryn E., Mason, Tyler B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2025
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Affect; Affective Symptoms - psychology; Binge eating; Binge-Eating Disorder - psychology; Body Image - psychology; Body satisfaction; Body Weight; Ecological Momentary Assessment; Feeding and Eating Disorders - psychology; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Negative affect; Personal Satisfaction; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Weight stigma; Young Adult; Ecological momentary assessment; Binge eating; Weight stigma; Body satisfaction; Negative affect
• ISSN: 1740-1445; 1873-6807; 1873-6807
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.101891

Weight-related stress (e.g., experiencing weight stigmatization) is an important factor that contributes to engagement in maladaptive eating behaviors and increased risk for mood and anxiety disorders. Forty-nine adults that met the criteria for binge-eating disorder and/or food addiction completed baseline questionnaires and a 10-day ecological momentary assessment protocol during which they reported experiences of weight-related stress, binge-eating symptoms, dietary restraint, body satisfaction, and negative affect throughout the day. Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine associations between within- and between-subject weight-related stress and binge-eating symptoms, dietary restraint, body satisfaction, and negative affect. Weight-related stress was not associated with binge-eating symptoms; however, at the within-subjects level, experiencing weight-related stress was associated with lower body satisfaction (p = .008) and elevated dietary restraint and negative affect (ps < .001). At the between-subjects level, weight-related stress was associated with increased negative affect (p = .007). Among adults with binge-eating disorder and/or food addiction, weight-related stress may be a relevant social/intrapersonal experience that impacts individual’s momentary affective well-being and restraint. Results suggest the need for public health interventions for reducing systemic societal weight-related stigmatization as well as use of individual intervention strategies focused on reframing negative thoughts associated with weight-related stress to reduce its emotional impact. •We conducted ecological momentary assessment of weight-related stress among adults.•Adults reported 331 wtrelated stress events (17.3 % of valid prompts).•Most weight-related stress events were personal reminders of one’s own weight.•Weight-related stress was associated with greater dietary restraint.•Weight-related stress was associated with worse affective outcomes.