Psychiatric Comorbidity in Women with Disordered Eating Behavior: A National Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study used data collected by Statistics Canada in the Mental Health and Well-being cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey (N = 20,211) to examine the associations between disordered eating behavior and selected mood, anxiety and substance use disorders in adult women grouped in three age groups. Significant associations between disordered eating behaviors and major depression, substance dependence and psychological distress were found for women in all three age ranges. Prevalence of specific classes of anxiety disorders in women who reported disordered eating behaviors differed according to their age. Having disordered eating behaviors was significantly associated with both 12-month and lifetime prevalence of social phobia for women above 25 years of age. Lifetime prevalence of agoraphobia was associated with disordered eating behaviors in women 15–44 years old, and the 12-month prevalence was associated with disordered eating behaviors only in women 15–24 years of age. Disordered eating behaviors were significantly associated with lifetime prevalence of panic disorder in women in all three age ranges and with 12-month prevalence of panic disorder in women in two age ranges, 15–24 and 45 and above. The findings highlight the importance of taking age into consideration when developing assessment instruments and treatment strategies to address the co-occurrence of eating disorders and other psychiatric disorders.