Binge‐Eating Disorder in Brazilian Women on a Weight‐Loss Program

Abstract

BORGES, M. BEATRIZ F., MIGUEL R. JORGE, CHRISTINA M. MORGAN, DARTIU XAVIER DA SILVEIRA, AND OSVLADIR CUSTÓ DIO. Binge-eating disorder in Brazilian women on a weight-loss program. Obes Res. 2002;10:1127-1134. Objective: To examine binge-eating disorder (BED) and its association with obesity, weight patterns, and psychopathology in a Brazilian sample of female participants of a weightloss program in São Paulo, Brazil. Research Methods and Procedures: Two hundred and seventeen overweight (body mass index Ն 25 kg/m 2 ) women, ages 15 to 59 years, enrolled in the Weight Watchers Program were recruited for the study at a program branch meeting after completing the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. Participants were categorized into four groups: those who met questionnaire criteria for BED, those who met questionnaire criteria for bulimia nervosa (BN), those that reported binge eating but did not meet all the criteria for any eating disorder (BE), and those with no eating disorder symptoms (No ED). Groups were compared on measures of weight, depressive symptoms, and alexithymia. Results: Binge eating was frequently reported by women in this study (BED, 16.1%; BN, 4.6%; BE, 22.6%). BED women had significantly higher body mass index, greater highest weight ever, and more frequent weight cycling than the No ED group. BED women also reported more depressive symptoms than BE and No ED women, and were more alexithymic than the No ED group. BE women presented more frequent weigh cycling and were also more depressed and alexithymic than the No ED group. Discussion: BED is not uncommon in overweight Brazilian women, and similar to North American and European samples, it is associated with overweight and higher levels of psychopathology in this population.

Prevalência de compulsão alimentar entre universitárias de diferentes áreas de estudo

“…2,3,5,16,18,19,26,27 The results of this study confirm the strong association between BE and women who present BMI higher than 25 kg/m² among university students.…”

“…Similarly to American and European women, it is associated with a higher prevalence of symptoms or mental disorders. 5 A study performed using the EAT-26 and the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE) in women aged between 12 and 29 years, in the urban area of Porto Alegre, Brazil, showed that more than 2/3 of women with normal BMI would like to reduce their weight or feel fat. There was a difference in the eating behavior according to the selfperception of body weight -more than 60% of women with normal BMI, but who felt fat, presented a risk or abnormal eating behavior.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] When the BE episodes occur at least 2 days a week over a 6-month period, associated with some characteristics of loss of control, and are not followed by compensatory behaviors oriented to losing weight, recent studies indicate the presence of a syndrome called binge eating disorder (BED). 2,3,[6][7][8][9][10] Nevertheless, it should be highlighted that this status does not have a defined diagnosis and is described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) as an unspecified eating disorder (ED); therefore, more studies are needed to clarify this situation.…”

“…15 Several studies have found an association between overweight or obesity and the presence of BE, showing values ranging from 15 to 63% in obese women who seek weight reduction programs. 2,3,5,[16][17][18][19] The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of BE among female university students in different fields of study (exact sciences, health and humanities) and its association with body mass index (BMI) and age.…”

Binge eating in adults: prevalence and association with obesity, poor self-rated health status and body dissatisfaction

“…Those evaluating recurrent binge eating have found lower prevalence rates than those who considered one or more episodes of binge eating (7)(8)(9)(10)(11) . Although BED is by definition regular occurrence of binge eating over a period of 6 months, studies evaluating shorter periods, e.g.…”