Food cravings and loss-of-control eating in youth: associations with gonadal hormone concentrations.

Objective. Among youth with overweight, food cravings (FC) are associated with loss-of-control (LOC)-eating, but the impact of sex-associated biological characteristics on this relationship is unknown. We examined whether sex and gonadal hormone concentrations moderated the relationships between FC and LOC-eating severity among healthy boys and girls across the weight strata in natural and laboratory environments. Methods. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), FC, and LOC-eating severity were reported 3-5 times a day for 2weeks. In the laboratory, participants reported FC, consumed lunch from a buffet test meal designed to simulate LOC-eating, and rated LOC-eating severity during the meal. Results. Eighty-seven youth (13.0±2.7years, 58.6% female, 32.2% with overweight/obesity) participated. EMA measured general and momentary FC were positively associated with LOC-eating severity (ps<.01), with no differences by sex (ps =.21-.93). Estradiol and progesterone significantly moderated the relationships between FC and LOC-eating such that general FC and LOC-eating severity were only...