ALEXITHYMIA, OBESITY, AND BINGE-EATING DISORDER

Eighty-three obese subjects with binge eating disorder (BED) were comp ared with 99 obese subjects not meeting criteria for BED on the Toront o Alexithymia Scale (TAS). Overall, the subjects in our sample were no t significantly alexithymic, the mean global TAS score being 62.8 (SD = 10.2) which is comparable with the values found in nonpatient contro l samples. Furthermore, the mean TAS scores did not differ between obe se subjects with and without BED. However, we found a slightly higher prevalence of alexithymia (TAS total score 74 and above) in BED subjec ts compared with non-BED subjects (24.1% and 11.1%, respectively). A s eries of stepwise multiple regression analyses were run, exhibiting a significant relationship between the TAS and educational level and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) subscales Interpersonal Distrust and Ineffectiveness. Age, body mass index, measures of depression, and eat ing pathology did not predict TAS scores. (C) 1995 by John Wiley & Son s, Inc.