"Prior research suggests a substantial role for ovarian hormones in increased risk for binge eating and emotional eating during the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. However, past studies have not examined how and if pronounced hormonal changes that precede the mid-luteal phase (i.e., the dramatic decrease in estradiol and increase in progesterone during/after ovulation) also contribute to mid-luteal increases in binge-related symptoms. Past theories and studies of phenotypes strongly related to binge eating (e.g., depression) suggest that these pronounced hormonal changes may also play a role. This study examined this hypothesis in 390 female twins (aged 15-25 years) from the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Daily ratings of emotional eating (assessed with the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire) and daily saliva samples of hormones were measured over 45 consecutive days. Results revealed no significant associations between pronounced changes in estradiol or progesterone across ovulation and emotional eating scores in the mid-luteal phase, even after controlling for BMI and negative affect and examining participants with clinical binge eating episodes. Taken together, data suggest that pronounced hormonal change across ovulation may play less of a role in emotional eating than changes in estradiol and progesterone that occur during the mid-luteal phase."--Page ii.
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