Eye of the Beholder: Prevalence of Binge Eating Disorder among Youth in Urban Coastal Karnataka, India

• Published in: Indian journal of social psychiatry : official publication of Indian Association for Social Psychiatry
• Main Authors: Varadarajulu, Rachel Natasha, Muddasani, Varsha, Prabhu, H. Sudhir, Thattil, Anissa Mary Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 22.10.2024
• ISSN: 0971-9962; 2454-8316
• DOI: 10.4103/ijsp.ijsp_196_23

Abstract Introduction: Eating disorders (EDs) are on the rise and can result in medical and psychiatric morbidities in children, adolescents as well as during adulthood. It is crucial to understand the disease burden for its early diagnosis, intervention, and prevention. Our study was thus conducted over 5 months to estimate the prevalence of binge ED (BED) among adolescents and young adults in Mangalore, Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 participants between the ages of 15 and 24 years were administered the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns - 5. Responses were categorized into “possible diagnosis of BED” and “possible diagnosis of bulimia nervosa (BN).” Results: The mean age of the participants was 19.4 ± 3.1 years and their mean body mass index was 22.7 ± 3.9 kg/m 2 . Among 300 participants, 15 (5.0%) had a possible diagnosis of BN, while 4 (1.3%) had a probable diagnosis of BED, both were found to be more among females than males. Sixty participants reported having loss of control over their food intake, of which only 26 (43.3%) reported being upset about it. However, on multivariate logistic regression, none of the sociodemographic factors were found to be significant in our study. Conclusion: It is essential to encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity at an early age along with the inclusion of screening for EDs in school health programs. Raising awareness among parents and children is crucial in bringing about sustained behavior change.