Association between eating disorders, suicide and depressive symptoms in undergraduate students of health-related courses.

OBJECTIVE: To identify symptoms of eating disorders and potential associations with risk of suicide and depressive symptoms in undergraduate students of health-related courses. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 271 students. The following instruments were used to identify symptoms of eating disorders: Eating Attitudes Test-26 and Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview were used to screen for depressive symptoms and risk of suicide, respectively. Participants answered a questionnaire aimed to collect biodemographic data for economic classification of the sample. RESULTS: Symptoms of eating disorders and bulimia nervosa were detected in 7.4% and 29.1% of students, respectively. Approximately 17.3% of students had symptoms of major depression, and 13.6% were at risk of suicide to some extent; risk of suicide was thought to be low in 7.4%, moderate in 0.7% and high in 5.5% of students in this subset. The risk of eating disorder development was correlated with the risk of suicide (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Undergraduate students at risk of developing eating disorders, or with symptoms suggestive of depression, are more prone to commit suicide.

Association between eating disorders, suicide and depressive symptoms in undergraduate students of health-related courses / Associação entre transtornos alimentares, suicídio e sintomas depressivos em universitários de cursos de saúde

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify symptoms of eating disorders and potential associations with risk of suicide and depressive symptoms in undergraduate students of health-related courses. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 271 students. The following instruments were used to identify symptoms of eating disorders: Eating Attitudes Test-26 and Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview were used to screen for depressive symptoms and risk of suicide, respectively. Participants answered a questionnaire aimed to collect biodemographic data for economic classification of the sample. Results: Symptoms of eating disorders and bulimia nervosa were detected in 7.4% and 29.1% of students, respectively. Approximately 17.3% of students had symptoms of major depression, and 13.6% were at risk of suicide to some extent; risk of suicide was thought to be low in 7.4%, moderate in 0.7% and high in 5.5% of students in this subset. The risk of eating disorder development was correlated with the risk of suicide (p<0.001). Conclusion: Undergraduate students at risk of developing eating disorders, or with symptoms suggestive of depression, are more prone to commit suicide.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar sintomas de transtornos alimentares e possíveis associações com o risco de suicídio e sintomas depressivos em universitários de cursos de saúde. Métodos: Neste estudo de corte transversal, foram avaliados 271 estudantes. Foram utilizados os instrumentos Teste de Atitudes Alimentares e Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh, para identificação de sintomas de transtornos alimentares. Para o rastreamento de sintomas depressivos, foi usado o questionário de autoavaliação da Escala de Hamilton − Depressão, e o Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, para identificação do risco de suicídio. Todos os participantes responderam um questionário contendo informações sociodemográficas, para classificação econômica da amostra. Resultados: A frequência para sintomas de transtornos alimentares foi de 7,4% e de 29,1% para sintomas de bulimia nervosa. Cerca de 17,3% foram sintomáticos para depressão maior, e 13,6% tinham algum grau de risco de suicídio; destes, 7,4% foram considerados com risco de suicídio leve, 0,7% com risco moderado e 5,5% com risco alto de suicídio. Houve correlação entre risco para transtornos alimentares e risco de suicídio (p<0,001). Conclusão: Universitários com risco para os transtornos alimentares, bem como os que possuem sintomatologia sugestiva para depressão têm maior probabilidade de desenvolver o risco de suicídio.

Consumo de formulações emagrecedoras e risco de transtornos alimentares em universitários de cursos de saúde / Consumption of dietary substances and their association with risk of eating disorders in college students

RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar o consumo de formulações emagrecedoras e sua possível associação com o risco de transtornos alimentares (TAs) em universitários de cursos de saúde de diversos níveis socioeconômicos. Métodos Estudo epidemiológico transversal, realizado com 276 universitários matriculados em quatro cursos da área da saúde. Para a obtenção dos dados, utilizaram-se três instrumentos autoaplicáveis: o Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), o Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh (BITE) e, para investigar o consumo de formulações emagrecedoras, um questionário elaborado pela própria equipe de pesquisa. Para análise dos dados, aplicou-se o teste qui-quadrado, adotando-se o nível de significância de 5%. Resultados Vinte e um universitários apresentaram risco de TA pela escala EAT-26, correspondente a 7,6% dos pesquisados. A frequência do uso de formulações emagrecedoras foi de 7,2%. Houve associação significativa (p < 0,001) entre o uso de formulações emagrecedoras e a presença de risco para TA (33,3%), com percentual muito elevado quando comparado ao percentual de entrevistados sem risco de TA que estavam em uso de medicamentos (5,1%). Conclusões O consumo de formulações emagrecedoras esteve associado tanto à presença de risco para TA, nas escalas EAT-26 e BITE, quanto aos níveis socioeconômicos, principalmente para a classe de renda C.

ABSTRACT Objective to evaluate the consumption of weight loss formulations and their possible association with risk of eating disorders (ED) in university students of health courses of different socioeconomic levels. Methods A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out with 276 university students enrolled in four health courses. To obtain the data, three self-applied instruments were used: the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh (BITE) and to investigate the consumption of weight-loss formulations a questionnaire prepared by the research team was used. For the data analysis, the chi-square test was applied, adopting the level of significance of 5%. Results Twenty-one university students presented a risk of ED by the EAT-26 scale, corresponding to 7.6% of the respondents. The frequency of use of weight loss formulations was 7.2%. There was a significant association (p < 0.001) between the use of weight loss formulations and the presence of risk for ED (33.3%), with a very high percentage when compared to the percentage of non-ED respondents who were using medication (5.1%). Conclusions The consumption of dietary formulations was associated with both the presence of risk for ED, on the EAT-26 and BITE scales, and on socioeconomic levels, especially for income class C.