Abnormal eating behaviors in adolescent and young adult women from southern Brazil: reassessment after four years.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether abnormal eating behaviors in young women could predict eating disorders after 4 years.


METHODS
56 women were identified as presenting abnormal eating behaviors in a cross-sectional study (Eating Attitudes Test-26 and Edinburgh Bulimic Investigation Test). They were matched for age and neighborhood to two controls (n = 112). Four years later, they were re-assessed with the two screening questionnaires plus the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1).


RESULTS
Women with abnormal eating behaviors at baseline showed a high probability of presenting abnormal eating behaviors but it was not associated with eating disorders 4 years later. They were also at higher risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and specific phobia.


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormal eating behaviors were related to the maintenance of the disturbed behavior over the years, and were associated with increased probability for psychiatric diagnoses.
Nunes
Maria Angélica
MA
Dept. of Epidemiology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. maanunes@gmail.com
Olinto
Maria Teresa A
MT
Camey
Suzi
S
Morgan
Christina
C
de Jesus Mari
Jair
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012306:Risk; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology