How stress and negative emotions affect eating behavior in binge-eating disorder.
Official title: Understanding the Effects of Acute Stressors and Negative Emotion on Eating Behavior in Binge-Eating Disorder: The Role of Stressor-Induced Changes in Reward and Cognitive Control
Funded at Mclean Hospital · NIH-10456768 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how stress and negative feelings affect eating habits in young women with binge-eating disorder, hoping to find out why some people have a hard time controlling their eating even with treatment, which could help improve future care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mclean Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Belmont, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2018 |
| Project end | July 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $194,217 |
| NIH project number | 5K23DK120517-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10456768 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are young women aged 21 and older who have been diagnosed with binge-eating disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have binge-eating disorder or those under 21 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how acute stressors and negative emotions influence eating behaviors in individuals with binge-eating disorder (BED). It focuses on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms that link stress to increased food cravings and binge eating episodes. By examining brain activity and food choices in response to stress, the study aims to uncover why some individuals with BED struggle to manage their eating despite treatment. Participants will be young women diagnosed with BED, and the findings could lead to improved treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective interventions for individuals with binge-eating disorder by addressing the underlying emotional and stress-related triggers of their eating behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the relationship between stress and eating behaviors, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Mclean Hospital
Belmont, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Javaras, Kristin N. — Mclean Hospital
- Study coordinator: Javaras, Kristin N.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding Binge Eating Disorder in Older Hispanic Women
This project looks at how chronic binge eating disorder affects the health of older Hispanic women who also face challenges with food security.
-
Social media habits and binge-eating in teens
This project will see if patterns of social media use predict binge-eating behaviors in adolescents.
-
Using digital mindfulness meditation to improve therapy for binge eating disorder
This study is testing a new online program that combines mindfulness meditation with traditional therapy to help people with binge eating disorder feel better and manage their eating habits more effectively.
-
Exploring how social media use affects binge-eating disorder in adolescents
This study looks at how using social media a lot might be linked to binge-eating in teens, especially considering things like feeling sad, anxious, or being bullied online, and it hopes to offer helpful advice for teens, their parents, and doctors to prevent these eating issues.
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Impact of binge eating disorder on older Hispanic women facing food insecurity
This study is looking at how binge eating disorder affects Hispanic women over 65 who don’t always have enough food, to better understand their health challenges and improve care for them.
-
Investigating brain changes in binge eating disorder using advanced imaging techniques
This study is looking at how binge eating disorder affects the brain by using a special imaging technique to see changes in brain connections, and it's for people who want to help improve treatments for this condition.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.