RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISTURBED EATING BEHAVIOR AND OTHER PSYCHOSOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN ADOLESCENTS

Background: There has been relatively little research on subthreshold eating disorders and factors which might promote their transition to e ating disorders. Methods: A sample consisting of 1,944 Swiss adolescen ts of both sexes, 14-19 years of age, was investigated for eating beha vior (EAT-26), psychological (SCL-90-R) and physical symptoms (GSCLC). In addition, the relationship between eating behavior and other psych osomatic symptoms was analyzed. Results: The results revealed signific antly higher scores for females than males on all except one scale of the questionnaires. Three categories of disturbed eating behavior base d on the EAT scores were described: EAT 0-9 = not disturbed (77.5% gir ls, 93.1% boys), EAT 10-19 = moderately disturbed (14.1% girls, 5.5% b oys), and EAT greater than or equal to 20 = severely disturbed (8.3% g irls, 1.5% boys). With regard to the three aspects, eating habits, psy chosomatic symptoms and suicidality a significant correlation between disturbed eating behavior and concurrent psychological and physical sy mptoms was found in female but not in male subjects. Conclusions: The results emphasized that disordered eating behavior has to be seen as p art of a broader psychopathological syndrome, especially in young wome n.