Prevalencia del trastorno por atracón en una muestra clínica de obesos

Resumen

Introduction Binge eating disorder is characterised by the presence of recurrent binge eating episodes in a short period of time, accompanied by loss of control. This disorder is the most frequent of all eating disorders in obese people, both adults and children. Objective The objective of this study was to obtain prevalence data for binge eating disorder in a sample of obese children who attended a paediatric unit specialised in the treatment of childhood obesity. Material and methods A sample included 70 children and adolescents aged 9 to 16, with a mean age of 12 years attending a paediatric clinic in the General Hospital of Valencia. The following tools were used in the assessment: Diagnostic Interview for Binge Eating Disorder (SCID-IV), Binge Eating Disorder Scale Child (C-BED) and Questionnaire of eating patterns and weight (QEWP). Results After the assessment, 6% of the clinical sample was diagnosed with binge eating disorder according to criteria established by the DSM-IV-TR, and 14% showed subclinical forms of the disorder. Conclusions The results are in line with previous studies that highlight the necessity of assessing these disorders in units specialised in the treatment of obesity.