(P28-040-23) Longitudinal Associations Between Binge Eating in Adolescence & Young Adulthood and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk: An Analysis of the Growing Up Today Study Cohort

Objectives: The aim of this study is to characterize binge eating patterns among adolescents and young adults and estimate longitudinal effects of binge eating on cardiometabolic disease risk.

Methods: We analyzed data from 16,161 Growing Up Today Study participants. Binge eating with loss of control was assessed between 1996 – 2011; we ascertained prevalence of binge eating at least monthly during adolescence ( < 18 years of age), young adulthood (18-24 years), and adults (25+ years) for all gender identities and across all categories of baseline weight status. Cardiometabolic disease outcomes were assessed between 2013-2021. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age, race, gender identity, and baseline BMI estimated associations between (i) ever binge eating and (ii) average frequency of binge eating

Results: Prevalence of monthly or more frequent binge eating with loss of control was 6.2% among participants in adolescence, 10.2% in young adulthood, and 6.3% in adulthood. Binge eating was sustained from adolescence through adulthood in 0.9% and from young adulthood to adulthood for 2.1% of participants. Among those who reported binge episodes, most were within normal weight range at baseline. Incident cardiometabolic diseases occurred in 84 participants who developed type 2 diabetes, 120 with impaired glucose tolerance, 1475 with hypertension, and 2075 with high cholesterol. Binge eating in adolescence was associated with 2.33 (95% confidence interval: 1.42-3.83) greater odds of developing impaired glucose tolerance. Binge eating in young adulthood was associated with increased odds of incident impaired glucose tolerance (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.22-3.07), type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.11-3.32), high cholesterol (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.06-1.43), and hypertension (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.07-1.50).

Conclusions: Binge eating at least monthly with loss of control in adolescence is associated with increased odds of subsequently developing impaired glucose tolerance, and binge eating in young adulthood is associated with increased odds of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Binge eating behaviors are prevalent across weight-status categories, which should be considered in prevention and treatment initiatives.

Funding Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation