A study published in JAMA Network Open found that women taking combined oral contraceptives reported increased emotional eating during days they took active pills, compared to days they took inactive (placebo) pills. The research was led by Michigan State University.
Study Methodology
Researchers tracked 422 women from the Michigan State University Twin Registry over 49 consecutive days. Participants self-reported their emotional eating and binge-eating symptoms daily.
Key Findings
- Emotional eating increased during active pill consumption relative to inactive pill days.
- The finding was consistent across the full study sample and among women with a current or past history of clinical-level binge eating.
- The study did not find that all women experienced increased binge eating. Researchers noted that risk may be concentrated in individuals with other pre-existing risk factors.
- Daily self-monitoring of binge eating was associated with a decrease in binge-eating symptoms, including during periods of active pill use.
Background and Context
Previous research has indicated that natural ovarian hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, influence binge-eating risk.
The authors described this study as the first large-scale longitudinal examination of binge-eating symptoms specifically in relation to oral contraceptive use.
Researcher Statements
Lead author Kelly Klump, a professor at Michigan State University, stated that the findings highlight a potential negative impact of combined oral contraceptives for some women.
"The contraceptives remain safe for many women... the risk of developing binge eating may be limited to those with other risk factors."
Klump emphasized self-monitoring as a tool to mitigate risk and called for personalized approaches in women's healthcare.