Stress-Induced Release of Eating-Related Hormones in Young Women Classified as Restrained and Unrestrained Eaters.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Restrained eating has been linked to binge eating under disinhibited circumstances and is therefore considered a risk factor to develop clinical eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder. The present study investigated the release of gastrointestinal peptides such as ghrelin and PYY after stress, as well as cortisol in young females classified as restrained and unrestrained eaters.

METHODS: The study was done in the laboratory of the Department for Biological and Clinical Psychology at the University of Trier. The sample consisted of 48 females, and the stressor was the Trier Social Stress Test. Blood samples for peptides and salivary cortisol were taken.

RESULTS: Higher ghrelin, but lower cortisol after stress was obtained for restrained eaters; no stress-related changes for PYY were observed.

CONCLUSION: Restrained eaters suffer from a possible stress-related biological dysregulation of eating, posing them at risk for eating and weight disorders.