Int J Eat Disord. 2026 Apr 29. doi: 10.1002/eat.70113. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore sex differences in social, health and lifestyle characteristics associated with binge-eating behaviors in a large population-based study.
METHOD: This study included 84,995 participants (women 52.1%) aged ≥ 15 years from the French national random population-based EpiCov cohort. We assessed binge-eating (BE) behaviors (No BE; BE without compensatory behavior [BE-]; BE with a compensatory behavior [BE+]) using the Patient Health Questionnaire Eating Disorder module in 2021. After testing interactions between exposures (self-reported social, health and lifestyle characteristics) and sex for BE behaviors, weighted multinomial logistic regressions were performed to explore the associations between exposures and BE behaviors stratified by sex.
RESULT: The prevalence of BE- and BE+ was higher among women (3.4 [3.2-3.7]% and 1.2 [1.1-1.3]%, respectively) than among men (2.1 [1.9-2.3]% and 0.7 [0.6-0.8]%, respectively). Sex modified the associations that were observed between BE- and poor perceived health status (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]: men 2.43 [1.90-3.09], women 1.53 [1.29-1.80], interaction p = 0.008), and between BE+ and obesity (vs. normal weight; men 6.15 [3.92-9.64], women 2.15 [1.54-3.01], interaction p = 0.002). No other effect modification of sex was observed.
DISCUSSION: In this large study based on a national random sample from the French general population, the prevalence of binge eating was higher in women than in men. However, the associations between BE- and perceived health status, and between BE+ and obesity, were greater in men than women. The results highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies for BE accounting for sex differences.
PMID:42052807 | DOI:10.1002/eat.70113
