Binge Eating and Body Mass Index Among Obese Adolescents Ingestão Alimentar Compulsiva e Índice de Massa Corporal em Adolescentes Obesos

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Binge eating seems to have particularly high prevalence among weight-loss seeking-treatment obese adolescents, in whom it appears to be associated with worse results. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of binge eating and its association with body mass index (BMI) in obese adolescents, at their first visit to the obesity clinic of a reference center. We assessed the adolescents for the presence of loss of control and the BMI change between the first and the second visit. We further studied the association between binge eating and other dysfunctional eating behaviors.
METHODS: The Obesity Disordered Eating Questionnaire was used. Binge eating was defined by the presence of binge eating episodes associated with loss of control at least once a week.
RESULTS: Our sample included 64 adolescents, with a mean age of 14.7 ± 1.5 years. The BMI z-score ranged from 1.65 to 2.95. The estimated prevalence of binge eating was 23.4%. Loss of control was reported by 53% of the adolescents included in the study. We have not found any association between higher BMI z-scores and binge eating.
Between the first and the second visit, in the binge eating group there was a lower decrease in BMI than in the group without, however without statistical significance. Adolescents with binge eating had higher scores on the dysfunctional eating behaviors scale of the questionnaire.
DISCUSSION: The results of this study confirm binge eating as a prevalent problem among obese adolescents seeking treatment, being important its identification and monitoring.