Understanding Emotional Eating in Bipolar Disorder: Self-Reports vs. Objective Assessments

Aim: Understanding emotional eating nuances in Bipolar Disorder (BD) is crucial for developing targeted interventions to effectively manage mental health and nutritional needs. This study aims to explore the relationship between BD with emotional eating behavior, as well as the disparities between self-reported appetite tendencies and objective measurements. Method: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted with 43 patients diagnosed with BD. The Information Form, Bipolar Depression Rating Scale (BDRS), Bipolar Disorder Functioning Questionnaire (BDFQ) and Emotional Eating Scale (EES) were administered through face-to-face interviews. Results: Of the 43 BD patients, 58.1% were male, with a mean age of 26.93±10.29 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 25.01±6.06 kg/m2. Gender, age, BMI, physical activity, or sleep duration were not significant factors for EES sub-dimensions in BD patients (p>0.05). BD patients self-reported less eating tendency during negative emotions such as anxiety and depression and a higher tendency to eat during positive emotions like happiness. However, contrary to these self-reports, according to the BDRS, mixed symptoms (manic episodes) were positively correlated with "Control Against Stimuli" (p=0.003) and "Eating when Nervous" was positively correlated with both somatic (p=0.002) and psychological depression (p=0.005). Conclusion: This study highlights differences between self-reported and objective assessments of eating behaviors in BD patients. While patients reported reduced food intake during negative emotions and increased intake during positive ones, objective measures showed contrasting results. These findings emphasize the importance of using objective methods to assess eating behaviors linked to emotional states in individuals with bipolar disorder.