Prevalence of binge eating and associated factors in a Brazilian probability sample of midlife women.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of binge eating (BE) and inappropriate behaviors of weight control in a population sample of Brazilian midlife adult women and to correlate the prevalence of BE with self-rated health (SRH).

Method: A household sample of 1,298 females aged 35 years or older answered a face-to-face interview including questions on eating behaviors and had their weight and height measured.

Results: The prevalence of regular BE (twice or more episodes by week) and inappropriate methods of weight control was 11.5 and 10.2%, respectively. BE episodes were positively correlated with BMI and negatively correlated with age and SRH. These correlations persisted when mutually adjusted by BMI, age, and SRH.

Conclusion: These findings show the relevance of BE on the overall health of women of this age group and emphasize the need for expanding research on eating disorders to beyond the populations more frequently assessed of teenagers and young adults.