Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gonadal Hormone Influences on Sex Differences in Binge Eating Across Development

  • SEX AND GENDER ISSUES IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (CN EPPERSON AND L HANTSOO, SECTION EDITORS)
  • Published:
Current Psychiatry Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Binge eating is a transdiagnostic symptom that disproportionately affects females. Sexually dimorphic gonadal hormones (e.g., estradiol, testosterone) substantially impact eating behavior and may contribute to sex differences in binge eating. We examine recent evidence for the role of gonadal hormones in binge eating risk across development.

Recent Findings

Both organizational (long-lasting impact on the central nervous system (CNS)) and activational (transient influences on the CNS) hormone effects may contribute to sex differences in binge eating. Gonadal hormones also impact within-sex variability in binge eating, with higher estradiol levels in females and higher testosterone levels in males protective across development. Emerging evidence suggests that the impact of gonadal hormones may be greatest for people with other risk factors, including genetic, temperamental (e.g., high negative affect), and psychosocial (e.g., exposure to weight-based teasing) risk.

Summary

Gonadal hormones contribute to sex differences and within-sex variability in binge eating across development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References 

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Latner JD, Hildebrandt T, Rosewall JK, Chisholm AM, Hayashi K. Loss of control over eating reflects eating disturbances and general psychopathology. Behav Res Ther. 2007;45(9):2203–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Mustelin L, Bulik CM, Kaprio J, Keski-Rahkonen A. Prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder related features in the community. Appetite. 2017;109:165–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Colles SL, Dixon JB, O’Brien PE. Loss of control is central to psychological disturbance associated with binge eating disorder. Obesity. 2008;16(3):608–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ling YL, Rascati KL, Pawaskar M. Direct and indirect costs among patients with binge-eating disorder in the United States. Int J Eat Disord. 2017;50(5):523–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Pawaskar M, Witt EA, Supina D, Herman BK, Wadden TA. Impact of binge eating disorder on functional impairment and work productivity in an adult community sample in the United States. Int J Clin Pract. 2017;71(7):1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG, Kessler RC. The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biol Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Olguin P, Fuentes M, Gabler G, Guerdjikova AI, Keck PE, McElroy SL. Medical comorbidity of binge eating disorder. Eat Weight Disord. 2017;22(1):13–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Striegel-Moore RH, Rosselli F, Perrin N, DeBar L, Wilson GT, May A, et al. Gender difference in the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms. Int J Eat Disord. 2009;42(5):471–4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Mitchison D, Touyz S, González-Chica DA, Stocks N, Hay P. How abnormal is binge eating? 18-year time trends in population prevalence and burden. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2017;136(2):147–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Grucza RA, Przybeck TR, Cloninger CR. Prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in a community sample. Compr Psychiatry. 2007;48(2):124–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Streatfeild J, Hickson J, Austin SB, Hutcheson R, Kandel JS, Lampert JG, et al. Social and economic cost of eating disorders in the United States: evidence to inform policy action. Int J Eat Disord. 2021;54(5):851–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Linardon J, Wade TD. How many individuals achieve symptom abstinence following psychological treatments for bulimia nervosa? A meta-analytic review. Int J Eat Disord. 2018;51(4):287–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Peat CM, Berkman ND, Lohr KN, Brownley KA, Bann CM, Cullen K, et al. Comparative effectiveness of treatments for binge-eating disorder: systematic review and network meta-analysis. Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2017;25(5):317–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Klump KL, Culbert KM, Sisk CL. Sex differences in binge eating: gonadal hormone effects across development. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2017;13:183–207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lee-Winn AE, Reinblatt SP, Mojtabai R, Mendelson T. Gender and racial/ethnic differences in binge eating symptoms in a nationally representative sample of adolescents in the United States. Eat Behav. 2016;22:27–33.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Kessler RC, Berglund PA, Chiu WT, Deitz AC, Hudson JI, Shahly V, et al. The prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. Biol Psychiatry. 2013;73(9):904–14.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Klump KL, Racine S, Hildebrandt B, Sisk CL. Sex differences in binge eating patterns in male and female adult rats. Int J Eat Disord. 2013;46(7):729–36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. •• Culbert KM, Sinclair EB, Hildebrandt BA, Klump KL, Sisk CL. Perinatal testosterone contributes to mid-to-post pubertal sex differences in risk for binge eating in male and female rats. J Abnorm Psychol. 2018;127(2):239–50. This study was the first to use an experimental design to examine how perinatal testosterone may impact later binge-like behaviors in an animal model of binge eating. Findings suggest an important role for perinatal testosterone in contributing to lower rates of binge eating among males relative to females.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Nagl M, Jacobi C, Paul M, Beesdo-Baum K, Höfler M, Lieb R, et al. Prevalence, incidence, and natural course of anorexia and bulimia nervosa among adolescents and young adults. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;25(8):903–18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Klump KL, Suisman JL, Culbert KM, Kashy DA, Sisk CL. Binge eating proneness emerges during puberty in female rats: a longitudinal study. J Abnorm Psychol. 2011;120(4):948–55.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Keel PK, Forney KJ. Psychosocial risk factors for eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2013;46(5):433–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. de Souza Ferreira JE, da Veiga GV. Eating disorder risk behavior in Brazilian adolescents from low socio-economic level. Appetite. 2008;51(2):249–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Burt A, Mitchison D, Dale E, Bussey K, Trompeter N, Lonergan A, et al. Prevalence, features and health impacts of eating disorders amongst First-Australian Yiramarang (adolescents) and in comparison with other Australian adolescents. J Eat Disord. 2020;8(1):1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Chen H, Jackson T. Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of eating disorder endorsements among adolescents and young adults from China. Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2008;16(5):375–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Larsen A, Lilja M, Sturidsson K, Blatny M, Hrdlicka M, Stickley A, et al. Bulimia symptoms in Czech youth: prevalence and association with internalizing problems. Eat Weight Disord. 2020;25(6):1543–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Wade GN. Gonadal hormones and behavioral regulation of body weight. Physiol Behav. 1972;8(3):523–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Asarian L, Geary N. Modulation of appetite by gonadal steroid hormones. Philos Trans R Soc B Biol Sci. 2006;361(1471):1251–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Asarian L, Geary N. Sex differences in the physiology of eating. AJP Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2013;305(11):R1215–67.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Brewerton TD, Steiger H. Neurotransmitter dysregulation in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Clin Handb Eat Disord An Integr Approach. 2004;2004:257–81.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Etgen AM, Garcia-Segura LM. Estrogen regulation of neurotransmitter and growth factor signaling in the brain. Horm Brain Behav Third Ed. 2017;3:23–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Höfer P, Lanzenberger R, Kasper S. Testosterone in the brain: neuroimaging findings and the potential role for neuropsychopharmacology. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2013;23(2):79–88.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Arnold AP. The organizational-activational hypothesis as the foundation for a unified theory of sexual differentiation of all mammalian tissues. Horm Behav. 2009;55(5):570–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Beatty WW. Gonadal hormones and sex differences in nonreproductive behaviors in rodents: organizational and activational influences. Horm Behav. 1979;12(2):112–63.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Berenbaum SA. How hormones affect behavioral and neural development: introduction to the special issue on gonadal hormones and sex differences in behavior. Dev Neuropsychol. 1998;14(2–3):175–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Wallen K. Hormonal influences on sexually differentiated behavior in nonhuman primates. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2005;26(1):7–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Schulz KM, Sisk CL. The organizing actions of adolescent gonadal steroid hormones on brain and behavioral development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2016;70:148–58.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Schneider JE, Wise JD, Benton NA, Brozek JM, Keen-Rhinehart E. When do we eat? Ingestive behavior, survival, and reproductive success. Horm Behav. 2013;64(4):702–28.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Dearden L, Bouret SG, Ozanne SE. Sex and gender differences in developmental programming of metabolism. Mol Metab. 2018;15(April):8–19.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Zucker I. Hormonal determinants of sex differences in saccharin preference, food intake and body weight. Physiol Behav. 1969;4(4):595–602.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Ryan BC, Vandenbergh JG. Intrauterine position effects. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2002;26(6):665–78.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Lutchmaya S, Baron-Cohen S, Raggatt P, Knickmeyer R, Manning JT. 2nd to 4th digit ratios, fetal testosterone and estradiol. Early Hum Dev. 2004;77(1–2):23–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Galis F, Ten Broek CMA, Van Dongen S, Wijnaendts LCD. Sexual dimorphism in the prenatal digit ratio [2D:4D). Arch Sex Behav. 2010;39(1):57–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Quinton SJ, Smith AR, Joiner T. The 2nd to 4th digit ratio [2D:4D) and eating disorder diagnosis in women. Pers Individ Dif. 2011;51(4):402–5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Oinonen KA, Bird JL. Age at menarche and digit ratio [2D:4D): relationships with body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimia symptoms in women. Body Image. 2012;9(2):302–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Lydecker JA, Pisetsky EM, Mitchell KS, Thornton LM, Kendler KS, Reichborn-Kjennerud T, et al. Association between co-twin sex and eating disorders in opposite sex twin pairs: evaluations in North American, Norwegian, and Swedish samples. J Psychosom Res. 2012;72(1):73–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Raevuori A, Kaprio J, Hoek HW, Sihvola E, Rissanen A, Keski-Rahkonen A. Anorexia and bulimia nervosa in same-sex and opposite sex twins: lack of association with twin type in a nationwide study of Finnish twins. Am J Psychiatry. 2008;165:1604–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Baker JH, Lichtenstein P, Kendler KS. Intrauterine testosterone exposure and risk for disordered eating. Br J Psychiatry. 2009;194(4):375–6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Kothari R, Gafton J, Treasure J, Micali N. 2D:4D ratio in children at familial high-risk for eating disorders: the role of prenatal testosterone exposure. Am J Hum Biol. 2014;26(2):176–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Culbert KM, Breedlove SM, Burt SA, Klump KL. Prenatal hormone exposure and risk for eating disorders: a comparison of opposite-sex and same-sex twins. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008;65(3):329–36.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Culbert KM, Marc Breedlove S, Sisk CL, Alexandra Burt S, Klump KL. The emergence of sex differences in risk for disordered eating attitudes during puberty: a role for prenatal testosterone exposure. J Abnorm Psychol. 2013;122(2):420–32.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Klump KL, Gobrogge KL, Perkins PS, Thorne D, Sisk CL, Breedlove SM. Preliminary evidence that gonadal hormones organize and activate disordered eating. Psychol Med. 2006;36(4):539–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Aparicio-Martinez P, Perea-Moreno AJ, Martinez-Jimenez MP, Redel-Macías MD, Pagliari C, Vaquero-Abellan M. Social media, thin-ideal, body dissatisfaction and disordered eating attitudes: an exploratory analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(21).

  53. • Culbert KM, Shope MM, Sisk CL, Klump KL. Low testosterone is associated with dysregulated eating symptoms in young adult men. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53(9):1469–79. This study was the first to examine associations between testosterone levels and disordered eating in adult men. Results suggest that higher testosterone levels are protective against dysregulated eating in adulthood in males.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Culbert KM, Burt SA, Sisk CL, Nigg JT, Klump KL. The effects of circulating testosterone and pubertal maturation on risk for disordered eating symptoms in adolescent males. Psychol Med. 2014;44(11):2271–86.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Culbert KM, Burt SA, Klump KL, Breedlove SM, Sisk CL, Keel PK, et al. Age differences in prenatal testosterone’s protective effects on disordered eating symptoms: developmental windows of expression?. Behav Neurosci. 2015;129(1):18–36.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. El-maouche D, Arlt W, Merke DP. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Lancet. 2017;390(10108):2194–210.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Sisk CL, Zehr JL. Pubertal hormones organize the adolescent brain and behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2005;26(3–4):163–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Dorn LD, Dahl RE, Woodward HR, Biro F. Defining the boundaries of early adolescence: a user’s guide to assessing pubertal status and pubertal timing in research with adolescents. Appl Dev Sci. 2006;10(1):30–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Culbert KM, Burt SA, Klump KL. Expanding the developmental boundaries of etiologic effects: the role of adrenarche in genetic influences on disordered eating in males. J Abnorm Psychol. 2017;126(5):593–606.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  60. Klump KL, Culbert KM, Slane JD, Burt SA, Sisk CL, Nigg JT. The effects of puberty on genetic risk for disordered eating: evidence for a sex difference. Psychol Med. 2012;42(3):627–37.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Klump KL, Culbert KM, O’Connor S, Fowler N, Burt SA. The significant effects of puberty on the genetic diathesis of binge eating in girls. Int J Eat Disord. 2017;50(8):984–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  62. Fink G, Sumner B, Rosie R, Wilson H, Mcqueen J. Androgen actions on central serotonin neurotransmission: relevance for mood, mental state and memory. Behav Brain Res. 1999;105:53–68.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. O’Connor SM, Culbert KM, Mayhall LA, Burt SA, Klump KL. Differences in genetic and environmental influences on body weight and shape concerns across pubertal development in females. J Psychiatr Res. 2020;121:39–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Klump KL, Perkins PS, Burt SA, McGue M, Iacono WG. Puberty moderates genetic influences on disordered eating. Psychol Med. 2007;37(5):627–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Arribas P, Iranzo-Tatay C, Rojo-Bofill LM, García-Blanco A, Conesa L, Plumed J, et al. Changes in genetic and environmental influences on disordered eating between pre-menarche and postmenarche girls. A twin study Actas Esp Psiquiatr. 2018;46(5):192–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Klump KL, McGue M, Iacono WG. Differential heritability of eating attitudes and behaviors in prepubertal versus pubertal twins. Int J Eat Disord. 2003;33(3):287–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. •• Klump KL, Fowler N, Mayhall L, Sisk CL, Culbert KM, Burt SA. Estrogen moderates genetic influences on binge eating during puberty: disruption of normative processes?. J Abnorm Psychol. 2018;127(5):458–70. This was a large-scale, population-based study that examined whether ovarian hormone levels during puberty may interact with genetic factors to influence binge eating risk in girls. Greater genetic influences on binge eating were observed in girls with lower pubertal estradiol levels, suggesting that low pubertal estradiol may facilitate expression of underlying genetic individual differences in risk.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  68. • Klump KL, Sinclair EB, Hildebrandt BA, Kashy DA, O’Connor S, Mikhail ME, et al. The disruptive effects of estrogen removal before puberty on risk for binge eating in female rats. Clin Psychol Sci. 2020;8(5):839–56. Findings from this study suggest that puberty may be a sensitive period for organizing later risk for binge eating. Prepubertal ovariectomy dramatically increased rates of adult binge eating prone phenotypes in female rats, a shift that is not seen when ovariectomy occurs in adulthood.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  69. Klump KL, Kashy DA, Culbert KM, Sinclair EB, Hildebrandt BA, Van Huysee JL, et al. The effects of puberty and ovarian hormone removal on developmental trajectories of palatable food and chow intake in female rats. Physiol Behav. 2021;235:113394.

  70. Culbert KM, Sisk CL, Klump KL. A narrative review of sex differences in eating disorders: is there a biological basis?. Clin Ther. 2021;43(1):95–111.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Lee I, Cooney LG, Saini S, Sammel MD, Allison KC, Dokras A. Increased odds of disordered eating in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eat Weight Disord. 2019;24(5):787–97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Kimball A, Schorr M, Meenaghan E, Bachmann KN, Eddy KT, Misra M, et al. A randomized placebo-controlled trial of low-dose testosterone therapy in women with anorexia nervosa. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019;104(10):4347–55.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  73. Naessén S, Carlström K, Byström B, Pierre Y, Lindén HA. Effects of an antiandrogenic oral contraceptive on appetite and eating behavior in bulimic women. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2007;32(5):548–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Klump KL, Suisman JL, Culbert KM, Kashy DA, Keel PK, Sisk CL. The effects of ovariectomy on binge eating proneness in adult female rats. Horm Behav. 2011;59(4):585–93.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Vittoria M, Di M, Asarian L, Lutz TA, Romano A, Pucci M, et al. Estrogenic suppression of binge-like eating elicited by cyclic food restriction and frustrative-nonreward stress in female rats. 2016;2017:624–35.

    Google Scholar 

  76. Klump KL, Keel PK, Racine SE, Burt SA, Neale M, Sisk CL, et al. The interactive effects of estrogen and progesterone on changes in emotional eating across the menstrual cycle. J Abnorm Psychol. 2013;122(1):131–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Klump KL, Keel PK, Culbert KM, Edler C. Ovarian hormones and binge eating: exploring associations in community samples. Psychol Med. 2008;38(12):1749–57.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Edler C, Lipson SF, Keel PK. Ovarian hormones and binge eating in bulimia nervosa. Psychol Med. 2007;37(1):131–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. • Baker JH, Eisenlohr-Moul T, Wu YK, Schiller CE, Bulik CM, Girdler SS. Ovarian hormones influence eating disorder symptom variability during the menopause transition: a pilot study. Eat Behav. 2019;35:101337. This study expanded our understanding of ovarian hormone effects across development by being the first to examine associations between within-person fluctuations in ovarian hormones and binge eating in middle age. Findings demonstrated consistency in ovarian hormone effects from early adulthood to perimenopause in women (i.e., greater levels of dysregulated eating when both progesterone and estradiol are relatively high.

  80. Baudry M, Bi X, Aguirre C. Progesterone-estrogen interactions in synaptic plasticity and neuroscience. Neuroscience 2013;239:280–94.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. • Fowler N, Keel PK, Burt SA, Neale M, Boker S, Sisk CL, et al. Associations between ovarian hormones and emotional eating across the menstrual cycle: do ovulatory shifts in hormones matter?. Int J Eat Disord. 2019;52(2):195–9. This study sought to better understand changes in dysregulated eating across the menstrual cycle by examining whether the magnitude of change in hormone levels from ovulation to the mid-luteal phase was associated with emotional eating. Findings revealed that hormone levels on a given day were more closely associated with dysregulated eating than the mangnitude of hormonal shifts around ovulation, contributing to our knowledge of the mechanisms of hormone effects across the menstrual cycle.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  82. Klump KL, Racine SE, Hildebrandt B, Alexandra Burt S, Neale M, Sisk CL, et al. Influences of ovarian hormones on dysregulated eating: a comparison of associations in women with versus women without binge episodes. Clin Psychol Sci. 2014;2(5):545–59.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  83. Mikhail ME, Keel PK, Burt SA, Sisk CL, Neale M, Boker S, et al. Trait negative affect interacts with ovarian hormones to predict risk for emotional eating. Clin Psychol Sci. 2021;9(1):114–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Klump KL, Hildebrandt BA, O’Connor SM, Keel PK, Neale M, Sisk CL, et al. Changes in genetic risk for emotional eating across the menstrual cycle: a longitudinal study. Psychol Med. 2015;45(15):3227–37.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  85. Bethea CL, Lu NZ, Gundlah C, Streicher JM. Diverse actions of ovarian steroids in the serotonin neural system. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2002;23(1):41–100.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  86. Yoest KE, Cummings JA, Becker JB. Estradiol, dopamine and motivation. Cent Nerv Syst Agents Med Chem. 2015;14(2):83–9.

  87. Kaye W. Neurobiology of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Physiol Behav. 2008;94(1):121–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  88. Fowler N, Vo PT, Sisk CL, Klump KL. Stress as a potential moderator of ovarian hormone influences on binge eating in women. F 1000 Fac Rev. 2019;8:1–10.

  89. • Forney KJ, Keel PK, O’Connor S, Sisk C, Burt SA, Klump KL. Interaction of hormonal and social environments in understanding body image concerns in adolescent girls. J Psychiatr Res. 2019;109:178–84. This study advanced our understanding of hormone-environment interactions in influencing disordered eating symptoms by showing that environmental risk factors (e.g., weight related teasing) were more strongly associated with body image concerns in the presence of high progesterone levels.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  90. Baker JH, Runfola CD. Eating disorders in midlife women: a perimenopausal eating disorder?. Maturitas. 2016;85:112–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Mangweth-Matzek B, Hoek HW, Rupp CI, Kemmler G, Pope HG, Kinzl J. The menopausal transition - a possible window of vulnerability for eating pathology. Int J Eat Disord. 2013;46(6):609–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. Thompson KA, Bardone-Cone AM. Menopausal status and disordered eating and body image concerns among middle-aged women. Int J Eat Disord. 2019;52(3):314–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. •• Mangweth-Matzek B, Rupp CI, Vedova S, Dunst V, Hennecke P, Daniaux M, et al. Disorders of eating and body image during the menopausal transition: associations with menopausal stage and with menopausal symptomatology. Eat Weight Disord. 2021;(0123456789). This was one of the first large-scale studies to examine associations between disordered eating symptoms and both menopausal stage (i.e., premenopausal, perimenopausal, post-menopausal) and menopausal symptoms (e.g., hot flashes). Results indicated that menopausal symptoms were more closely associated with disordered eating than menopausal stage, suggesting that more hormonally sensitive individuals may be at greater risk for increases in disordered eating during the menopausal transition.

  94. Thompson KA, Bardone-cone AM. Evaluating attitudes about aging and body comparison as moderators of the relationship between menopausal status and disordered eating and body image concerns among middle-aged women. Maturitas. 2019;124:25–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. • Hardin SL, Thornton LM, Munn-Chernoff MA, Baker JH. Premenstrual symptoms as a marker of ovarian hormone sensitivity in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53(2):296–301. This study provides preliminary evidence that sensitivity to ovarian hormones may be associated with risk for disordered eating, potentially helping to explain stronger hormone-dysregulated eating associations across the menstrual cycle for women with a history of clinically significant binge eating.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Kummer KK, Pope HG, Hudson JI, Kemmler G, Pinggera GM, Mangweth-Matzek B. Aging male symptomatology and eating behavior. Aging Male. 2019;22(1):55–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  97. Brown TA, Forney KJ, Klein KM, Division B, Grillot C, Keel PK. A 30-year longitudinal study of body weight, dieting, and eating pathology across women and men from late adolescence to later mid-life. J Abnorm Psychol. 2021;129(4):376–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  98. Soares CN. Depression and menopause: an update on current knowledge and clinical management for this critical window. Med Clin NA. 2019;103(4):651–67.

    Google Scholar 

  99. Puhl R, Suh Y. Stigma and eating and weight disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2015;17(3):1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH111715-03S1]. The content of the manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Megan E. Mikhail, Carolina Anaya & Kelly L. Klump

  2. Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA

    Kristen M. Culbert

  3. Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Cheryl L. Sisk & Alexander Johnson

Authors
  1. Megan E. Mikhail
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carolina Anaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kristen M. Culbert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cheryl L. Sisk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Alexander Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kelly L. Klump
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kelly L. Klump.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article did not involve human or animal subjects.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Sex and Gender Issues in Behavioral Health

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mikhail, M.E., Anaya, C., Culbert, K.M. et al. Gonadal Hormone Influences on Sex Differences in Binge Eating Across Development. Curr Psychiatry Rep 23, 74 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-021-01287-z

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-021-01287-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation