https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Rice2022

Rice, A., Lavender, J. M., Shank, L. M., Higgins Neyland, M. K., Markos, B., Repke, H., Haynes, H., Gallagher-Teske, J., Schvey, N. A., Sbrocco, T., Wilfley, D. E., Ford, B., Ford, C. B., Jorgensen, S., Yanovski, J. A., Haigney M., Klein, D. A., Quinlan, J., & Tanofsky-Kraff, M. (2022). Associations among alexithymia, disordered eating, and depressive symptoms in treatment-seeking adolescent military dependents at risk for adult binge-eating disorder and obesity. Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 27, 3083-3093. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-022-01429-z

This study examined whether the associations between alexithymia (i.e., difficulty identifying and describing feelings) and disordered eating attitudes (e.g., restraint, eating concern) or emotional eating (e.g., eating due to feeling depressed) were explained by depressive symptoms within a sample of 149 military adolescents. Adolescents’ disordered eating attitudes were assessed via interviews, while other constructs (i.e., two aspects of alexithymia, emotional eating, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and demographics such as age and sex) were assessed via self-report questionnaires . Overall, adolescents who experienced alexithymia tended to have more depressive symptoms and, in turn, more severe disordered eating attitudes.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-022-01429-z

Youth
Physical health
Mental health

Multiple branches

Active Duty

Child of a service member or veteran

Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
Adolescence (13 - 17 yrs)

Quantitative Study

Rice, Alexander, Lavender, Jason M., Shank, Lisa M., Higgins Neyland, M. K., Markos, Bethelhem, Repke, Hannah, Haynes, Hannah, Gallagher-Teske, Julia, Schvey, Natasha A., Sbrocco, Tracy, Wilfley, Denise E., Ford, Brian, Ford, Caitlin B., Jorgensen, Sarah, Yanovski, Jack A., Haigney, Mark, Klein, David A., Quinlan, Jeffrey, Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian

Evidence suggests that difficulties identifying and describing one’s feelings, core components of alexithymia, are associated with attitudinal and behavioral symptoms of disordered eating; depressive symptoms also may underlie these associations. Specifically, research indicates that alexithymia is positively related to depressive symptoms, which in turn may promote both disordered-eating attitudes and certain disinhibited-eating behaviors (e.g., emotional eating). Findings also suggest that military-dependent youth with high weight may exhibit elevated depressive symptoms and disordered eating. As such, understanding associations among alexithymia, depressive symptoms, and disordered eating is particularly relevant for this vulnerable population.

Springer

Article
REACH Publication

Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, AR
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, JML
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, LMS
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, MKHN
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, BM
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, HR
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, HH
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, JGT
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, MH
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the Metis Foundation, MTK
The Metis Foundation, AR
The Metis Foundation, JML
The Metis Foundation, LMS
The Metis Foundation, MKHN
The Metis Foundation, BM
The Metis Foundation, HR
The Metis Foundation, HH
The Metis Foundation, JGT
Department of Medicine, USU, JML
Department of Medicine, USU, LMS
Department of Medicine, USU, MKHN
Department of Medicine, USU, MH
Department of Medicine, USU, MTK
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, LMS
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, HH
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, NAS
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, JAY
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, MTK
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, USU, LMS
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, USU, NAS
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, USU, TS
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, USU, MTK
Washington University School of Medicine, DEW
Department of Family Medicine, USU, BF
Department of Family Medicine, USU, DAK
Department of Family Medicine, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, CBF
Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, SJ
Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, JQ