Subtyping dietary restraint and negative affect in a longitudinal community sample of girls

Abstract

Objective: This study tests the validity of the “dietary‐depressive” subtype (typified by greater negative affect) and a “dietary” subtype (typified by dietary restraint only) using a diverse longitudinal community sample. Method: Girls at ages 10, 12, and 14 completed the Child Eating Attitudes Test, the Child Symptom Inventory‐4, and Body Image Measure. Body Mass Index was assessed at each age. Results: Unlike previous studies, cluster analysis revealed an at‐risk “dietary‐depressive” (R+) subtype (18.7%,100/534) and a not at‐risk (R−) subtype, distinguished by few depressive symptoms and little dietary restraint (81.3%,434/534), but no “dietary” subtype. When compared with the R− subtype, the R+ subtype had significantly greater eating disordered behavior and attitudes. The R+ subtype at age 10 was a risk factor for binge‐eating but not obesity at ages 12 and 14. Discussion: Dietary restraint and depressive symptoms combined predict binge‐eating longitudinally in a diverse community sample of girls. Int J Eat Disord 2009. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.