Cognitive impairments and neurofunctional alterations in children with electrical status epilepticus during sleep: insights from WISC-IV and resting-state fMRI.

Eating behavior is a broad term that encompasses food choice and motives, feeding practices, dieting, and eating-related problems such as obesity, eating disorders, and feeding disorders [] Disordered eating behaviors are variations in regular eating patterns and behaviors and might include symptoms and behaviors of an eating disorder with a lower level of severity [], although they do not necessarily meet the diagnostic criteria for a clinical eating disorder []. Examples of disordered eating behaviors include binge eating, restraint, emotional eating, disinhibition, strict dieting, and controlling body weight and shape through inappropriate compensatory behaviors []. In this article, we draw on the concepts of food approach and food avoidance to investigate potential disordered eating behaviors. Food approach refers to thoughts and behaviors involving movement toward or a desire for food, such as overeating, emotional eating, and eating in the absence of hunger []. In contrast, food avoidance refers to eating behaviors involving withdrawal from or avoidance of food, such as food neophobia, picky eating, slow eating, and emotional undereating []. Disordered eating behaviors have multiple causes and are common among young people [], who constitute a particularly susceptible group to mental health issues []. In this context, disordered eating behavior may be influenced by stress, anxiety, and depression [, ] as well as by the pursuit of beauty standards as a means of social belonging and acceptance within specific groups []. In Brazil, a meta-analysis of university students reported that approximately 14.9% screened positive for symptoms of eating disorders []. Furthermore, recent literature has identified discrimination as a potential factor associated with the development of disordered eating behaviors. A systematic review by Rodrigues et al. (2022) revealed that perceived racial discrimination was associated with disordered eating behaviors, such as emotional eating, binge eating, loss of control eating, restrained eating, excessive snacking, disinhibition, and other harmful eating behaviors and attitudes (e.g., restriction, concern about eating, and concern about body shape and weight) []. Similarly, Gordon et al. (2023) reported that young adults from sexual minority groups who experienced weight-based discrimination were at a greater risk of disordered eating behaviors than those who did not []. Additionally, a meta-analysis examining the association between discrimination and eating disorder psychopathology found small to moderate effect sizes, consistent across all domains analyzed, including global eating disorder symptoms, body dissatisfaction, binge eating, and dietary restraint [].