Study Finds Link between Eating Disorders and Suicidal Thoughts

African American girls who developed eating disorders are at a higher risk of being suicidal, according to a new study.

Women, more than men, are prone to develop eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are the types of eating problems women may develop during teenage or early adulthood. However, some women may develop these conditions later in life as well. Factors affecting a person's eating habits are culture, stress, emotional problems and family perception, according to womenshealth.gov.

The latest study by Dr. Rashelle Musci and colleagues from the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. shows that teen girls who are anxious about their image are more likely to pick up unhealthy eating habits as a way to cope with stress. These eating disorders then pave way for suicidal tendencies.

Binge eating is characterized by eating large amounts of food in a short period of time. The person loses self-control while binging and later becomes embarrassed and anxious about his/her actions, which leads to the person eating more food. Binge eating is a risk factor for serious health complications such as heart problems.

The present study was based on more than 300 Afro-American girls who were followed for about 11 years. Researchers collected information about their behavior and eating habits from parents and teachers. They also made a note of the number of times the girls had reported suicidal behavior during the study period.

The results showed that girls who were dissatisfied with their bodies were more likely to be anxious and develop eating disorders, which predicted their suicidal tendencies. Teen girls with severe binge eating problems reported more suicide attempts than other teens, according to a news release.

"The relationships found in this study offer prevention scientists a unique opportunity to target individuals at high risk of psychiatric problems by intervening in the case of binge eating problems. Our results also support the importance of developing prevention programs that are culturally relevant to individuals," researchers wrote.

The present study is published in the journal Prevention Science.