Journal article
Associations among alexithymia, disordered eating, and depressive symptoms in treatment-seeking adolescent military dependents at risk for adult binge-eating disorder and obesity
Eating and weight disorders : studies on anorexia, bulimia and obesity, Vol.27(8), pp.3083-3093
07/19/2022
DOI: 10.1007/s40519-022-01429-z
PMCID: PMC9805474
PMID: 35852767
Abstract
Purpose: Evidence suggests that difficulties identifying and describing one's feelings, core components of alexithymia, are associated with attitudinal and behavioral symptoms of disordered eating; depressive symptoms also may underlie these associations. Specifically, research indicates that alexithymia is positively related to depressive symptoms, which in turn may promote both disordered-eating attitudes and certain disinhibited-eating behaviors (e.g., emotional eating). Findings also suggest that military-dependent youth with high weight may exhibit elevated depressive symptoms and disordered eating. As such, understanding associations among alexithymia, depressive symptoms, and disordered eating is particularly relevant for this vulnerable population.
Methods: We examined 149 adolescent military dependents (14.4 ± 1.6y; 55.0% female; 20.0% non-Hispanic Black; BMIz: 1.9 ± 0.4) at high risk for binge-eating disorder and obesity in adulthood. Participants completed questionnaires assessing two components of alexithymia (difficulty identifying feelings [DIF] and difficulty describing feelings [DDF]), depressive symptoms, emotional eating, and trait anxiety; disordered-eating attitudes were assessed via semi-structured interview.
Results: A series of regression-based models examined indirect relationships of DIF and DDF with disordered-eating attitudes and emotional eating through depressive symptoms. Bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals revealed a significant indirect path from each of the alexithymia components to disordered-eating attitudes via depressive symptoms; indirect paths to emotional eating were non-significant.
Conclusion: Results support the salience of depressive symptoms in the relationship between alexithymia and disordered-eating attitudes. Future research should utilize prospective designs and explore direct and indirect associations of alexithymia with other disordered-eating behaviors.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Associations among alexithymia, disordered eating, and depressive symptoms in treatment-seeking adolescent military dependents at risk for adult binge-eating disorder and obesity
- Creators
- Alexander Rice - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesJason M LavenderLisa M ShankM K Higgins NeylandBethelhem MarkosHannah RepkeHannah HaynesJulia Gallagher-TeskeNatasha A SchveyTracy SbroccoDenise E WilfleyBrian FordCaitlin B FordSarah JorgensenJack A YanovskiMark HaigneyDavid A KleinJeffrey QuinlanMarian Tanofsky-Kraff
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Eating and weight disorders : studies on anorexia, bulimia and obesity, Vol.27(8), pp.3083-3093
- DOI
- 10.1007/s40519-022-01429-z
- PMID
- 35852767
- PMCID
- PMC9805474
- NLM abbreviation
- Eat Weight Disord
- ISSN
- 1124-4909
- eISSN
- 1590-1262
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000062, name: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, award: 1R01DK104115; DOI: 10.13039/100009898, name: Defense Health Agency, award: MED 83-10180; DOI: 10.13039/100009633, name: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, award: ZIA-HD-00641
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/19/2022
- Academic Unit
- Family and Community Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984297346902771
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