Table 3 Results of a confirmatory factor analysis of the three-factor 25-item EBQ (n = 442) standardised regression weights & communality

I’m not able to control my urges to eat

My eating will always need to be controlled

Once I start eating I can’t stop

I have no willpower in relation to food

I can’t control my eating because I am weak

If I don’t control myself I would never stop eating

There is nothing I can do to stop eating

Eating helps me to cope

Eating helps to reduce unpleasant physical feelings

Eating means I don’t have to think about negative things

Eating helps to control my emotions

Eating keeps my feelings at a tolerable level

Eating helps me to cope with negative thoughts

Eating helps me to cope with unpleasant physical sensations

Eating helps me cope with negative feelings

Eating helps to stop feelings that I don’t like

Eating stops me from feeling bad

Eating is my best way of coping with unwanted feelings

When I eat, things feel better for a while

Bingeing is something that I can have for myself

I deserve to have a pleasure like binge eating

It’s okay to have the nice experience of binge eating

Bingeing allows me to have something nice for myself

It won’t make a difference if I eat more

I like to binge