Alcohol consumption and eating disorders co-morbidities: a review of the literature

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol use disorders and eating disorders can be comorbid conditions. Due to the scarcity of Brazilian studies analyzing this association, a review of the literature was necessary to better understand it. Methods: Nineteen research reports on the relationship between alcohol use, its disorders and the incidence of

eating disorders were reviewed, and of those, fifteen were analyzed in details. Results: Eating disorders are generally co morbid to alcohol use, in such a way that its frequency of use, as well as its prevalence of abuse and dependence, is high among patients with eating disorders, a relationship which seems to increase in severity among patients with bulimia nervosa. Such relationship has also been found among healthy subjects with a strong restriction on dietary behavior, one of the symptoms of eating disorders. Discussion and Conclusions: Since the status of an additional disease can change the symptomatology, the diagnosis, the treatment and the prognosis of comorbid psychiatric conditions, it is very important that, from a patients’ first evaluation of suspected eating disorders, alcohol used be evaluated, as well as the other drugs use. Detecting them early on can increase the adherence of a patient to a possible treatment and its success, as well as a good prognosis.