What relationship between eating disorders and alexithymia among medical students?

Abstract

Introduction

The student population seems to be vulnerable to eating disorders (ED) but is this in relation to their ability to express their emotions or alexithymia?

Objectives

Studying the prevalence of ED and alexithymia among medical students, and establish the relationship between these entities.

Methods

It was a cross-sectional study of 97 students in Sfax University Medicine (Tunisia). We used:

– a questionnaire containing demographic and clinical data;

– Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26): a score ≥ 20 indicates ED;

– Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20): a score ≥ 61 indicates alexithymia.

Results

The average age of participants was 24.07 years (± 2.71); the sex ratio (M/W) was 0.4. Their average BMI was 22.85 kg/m² (± 3.36). They were smoking in 36.1% and sedentary in 43.3% of case. They had a nibbling activity in 57.7%. The average score of the EAT-26 was 11.66 ± 8.66 and prevalence of TCA was 19.6%. The average score of TAS-20 was 50.92, 0.46 and alexithymia was found in 16.5% of students. ED was significantly correlated with nibbling (P = 0.02), BMI or overweight (P = 0.012), smoking (P = 0.006) and physical inactivity (P < 0.00). Also alexithymia was significantly correlated with smoking (P = 0.003) and physical inactivity (P = 0.025). A significant correlation was found between alexithymia and ED (P = 0.008).

Conclusion

It is clear from our study an association between alexithymia and the ED. Psychological support aimed specifically alexithymic dimension is indispensable, not only for decreasing the emergence of ED but also contributing to lower any addictive behavior.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.