Prevalence of anorectic and bulimic symptoms in adolescences and their correlation with psychological distress

Abstract

Background and Aims:Eating Disorders are strongly associated with psychological distress. We examined this association for anorectic and bulimic symptoms and obesity.Method:Cross sectional study of 2263 adolescents aged 15-18 years-old from 10 schools in Northwestern Greece. Subjects were screened using the 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12). 873 subjects were selected for the second stage interview with the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R) and asked for eating and dieting practices. Odds ratios adjusted for age and sex were computed for the association between eating disorder symptoms and scores on the CIS-R.Results:Eating disorder symptoms are prevalent among adolescents (Anorectic symptoms=15.8% ♀/♂=30/1, Bulimic symptoms=9.3% ♀/♂=2/1, Binge Eating symptoms=10.2% ♀/♂=1/1) and they are strongly associated with high psychological distress (CIS-R score≥18). The Odds Ratio (OR) of having a high score on the CIS-R for subjects with anorectic symptoms compared to healthy subjects was 3.7 (95% Confidence Intervals 2.1 – 6.5). For bulimia the OR was 12.9 (4.7 – 35.4) and for binge eating the OR was 7.2 (2.4 – 21.4). Obesity was not associated with higher psychological distress but it was found to influence satisfaction with body image and self reported physical health.Conclusions:The prevalence of eating-related symptoms defines a risk-population, much larger than the clinical significantly cases of eating disorders. The “eating related disorders” should be considered in a continuum in the one side of which lie obesity and on the other anorexia/bulimia nervosa, connected with the pre-morbid situations of Anorectic/bulimic symptomatology.“The research Project is co-funded by the European Union - European Social Fund (ESF) & National Sources, in the framework of the program "Pythagoras II" of the "Operational Program for Education and Initial Vocational Training" of the 3rd Community Support Framework of the Hellenic Ministry of Education.”