Wonderlich JA, Crosby RD, Engel SG, et al. - As per ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies, emotional states and binge eating are functionally related among individuals who binge eat. Researchers herein investigated whether diagnostic groups exhibit the same trajectory of negative affect (NA) or if specific changes in affect are unique to each diagnostic category.

• An EMA was completed by adults with eating disorder diagnoses (anorexia nervosa [AN] = 118, bulimia nervosa [BN] = 133, binge-eating disorder [BED] = 112) where they described binge eating and negative affect throughout the day.

• Using generalized estimating equation analyses, researchers identified a significant increase in the linear trajectory of NA before and a decrease after the binge-eating episode for all individuals.

• Diagnosis was identified moderating this trajectory.

• A greater change in linear trajectories of NA before and after binge eating was observed among individuals with BN vs those with BED, but not those with AN.

• The trajectory of NA did not differ between individuals with BED or AN.