Features of Eating Behavior of Individuals with Psychogenic Overeating

According to the World Health Organization, almost 50 % of the adult population in developed countries is obese. The consequences of obesity are numerous and may negatively impact a person’s quality of life and longevity. Understanding the clinical picture of eating behavior that leads to obesity allows us to develop effective programs for the prevention and psychotherapy of obesity. The aim of the article is to analyze the eating behavior of individuals with psychogenic overeating. The eating behavior of people with psychogenic overeating is of an emotional nature, and the dietary restrictions that follow episodes of overeating vary among individuals with different degrees of obesity. The study sample consists of 101 respondents (39 ± 15 years), divided into three groups based on their body mass index (BMI): group 1 — 33 people with pre-obesity and first-degree obesity, group 2 — 20 people with second-degree obesity, group 3 — 48 people with third-degree obesity. Psychological testing: the EAT-26 scale, DEBQ, and the Eating Behavior test by Yu. L. Savchikova. Analysis of the study results showed that patients with psychogenic overeating at the initial stage of obesity showed a desire for dietary restrictions, control over food intake and physical activity, family-like eating habits among respondents in group 3, and a stable emotional type of eating behavior regardless of BMI. The obtained results allow us to clarify the behavioral symptom complex of psychogenic overeating and can be used to develop and improve the effectiveness of psychological weight correction programs considering eating habits and attitudes.

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