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. 2021 Apr;54(4):492-505.
doi: 10.1002/eat.23458. Epub 2020 Dec 31.

Self-reported symptoms of binge-eating disorder among adolescents in a community-based Danish cohort-A study of prevalence, correlates, and impact

Else M Olsen  1   2   3 , Susanne V Koch  4   5 , Anne M Skovgaard  6 , Katrine Strandberg-Larsen  1
Affiliations

Self-reported symptoms of binge-eating disorder among adolescents in a community-based Danish cohort-A study of prevalence, correlates, and impact

Else M Olsen et al. Int J Eat Disord. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: Binge-eating disorder (BED) was established as a diagnosis in 2013 with the DSM-5 and has been included in the ICD-11 in 2018. In adulthood, BED is prevalent and correlated with somatic and mental health problems. Less is known about BED in adolescence, although this age period could represent a window of opportunity for early intervention. This study aimed to investigate the 1-year prevalence, correlates, and impact of BED symptoms in a community sample of adolescents.

Method: We included 1,404 girls and 1,105 boys from the 16-years-follow-up of the Copenhagen Child Cohort study, CCC2000. The adolescents self-reported on BED symptoms, weight-status, body perception, mental health problems, and self-rated impact of food and weight-related thoughts and behaviors. Information about socio-economic factors and hospital diagnosed psychiatric disorders were obtained from national registries.

Results: A total of 8.5% reported weekly overeating with loss of control (10.9% of girls, 4.8% of boys), and 2.6% (3.6% of girls, 1.2% of boys) reported symptoms consistent with BED according to the DSM-5. Regardless of sex, BED was correlated with concurrent overweight, body-dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and mental health problems, especially emotional, but also with problems of behavior, inattention, and peer-relations, and with high self-rated impact on everyday life. Immigrant background and lower socio-economy were potential risk factors for BED in boys in this sample.

Discussion: BED was prevalent and correlated with mental health problems and overall impact among adolescents in this community sample, indicating the need for clinical attention and intervention towards binge-eating disorder in the adolescent period.

Keywords: adolescents; binge-eating disorder; community-based; impact; mental health problems; overweight.

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References

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