The Relation of Anxiety, Depression, and Happiness with Binge Eating Disorder among Binge Eating Applicants of Weight-Loss

Background: This descriptive study sought to assess the relation of anxiety,depression, and happiness with binge eating disorders (BED) among overweightand obese individuals. Methods: To conduct this study, 200 individuals whoreferred to Nutrition Clinics in Isfahan, were selected randomly. They wereasked to complete some questionnaires which were then scored according toGormally scale. Respondents with scores of 17 and higher were selected as BEDand entered the study. Final sample size consisted of 120 participants (28 menand 92 women). The management tools were Gormally et al. s, the OxfordHappiness, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Kettel anxiety questionnaires.Results: Statistical assessment consisted of descriptive statistics, pearsoncorrelation coefficient, multiple regressions, and Fisher’s Z test. Results showedthat BED had significant and linear correlations with depression (r = 0.51),happiness (r = 0.27), and anxiety ( r = 0.24) (all P < 0.01). Depression as theonly included factor for analysis explained 25% of the analysis variance.Although, BED had a positive correlation with depression, anxiety, andhappiness among men (P < 0.05) and women (P < 0.01), it did not have anyassociation with either of the three mentioned factors (Z = 0.50, Z = -1.15, andZ = 0.62, respectively). It was shown that depression, anxiety, and absence ofhappiness had important roles in the process of weight reduction amongapplicants of weight loss. Conclusions: Anxiety and depression lead to overeatingand over-eating inturn reinforces both depression and anxiety.

Keywords:

Binge eating disorder , Happiness , Anxiety , Depression