Aspectos afectivos relacionados con la obesidad. Estudio con adolescentes chilenos / Afective aspects related to obesity. Study with Chilean adolescents

Obesity is a disorder that is defined as a complex, multifactorial disease in which an increase of food intake compensates unpleasant emotional states. A qualitative, exploratory study with a sample size of 8 participants age 18 to 25 years old, in Santiago Chile was conducted through structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using open, axial and selective coding. The analysis found that there is a level of affective activation in obese adolescents when overeating. The emotional response to overeating is driven by unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, anguish, loneliness and sadness; in addition to relevant events that are experienced as triggers. The participants explained that they manifest a negative association in regards to their body image thus feeling societal pressure towards their weight and appearance. It is important to offer new alternatives as well as continuing to better understand the emotional aspects of the disease in regards to understanding, treatment and prevention because of its complex nature. For future investigations, it is suggested to increase the sample size to better confirm the findings

Restrição alimentar e problemas de comportamento de crianças com Síndrome de Prader-Willi / Dietary restriction and behavioral problems of children with Prader Willi syndrome

A síndrome de Prader Willi (SPW) é uma doença genética causada pela deleção de genes na região 15q11-13. Associa-se com deficiência intelectual e alterações neurocomportamentais de difícil manejo. O objetivo do estudo foi comparar os problemas de comportamento de dois grupos de crianças e adolescentes com SPW em função da possibilidade de acesso livre e de acesso restrito a alimentos no ambiente familiar. A amostra foi composta por 12 crianças e adolescentes com diagnóstico citogenético-molecular para SPW (seis em cada grupo) e suas respectivas mães. Das crianças e adolescentes foi registrado o peso corporal em Kg e junto às mães foi aplicado o Inventário de Comportamentos para Crianças e Adolescentes entre 6 e 18 anos (CBCL/6-18). Houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os grupos em relação a problemas de ansiedade e depressão, violação de regras e desafio e oposição. O grupo de acesso restrito ao alimento apresentou maior número de problemas comportamentais...

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder caused by a deletion of genes in region 15q11-13. It is associated with intellectual disability and unwieldy neurobehavioral alterations. The aim of the study was to compare behavior problems of two groups of children and adolescents with PWS considering the possibility of free or restricted access to food at home. The sample was composed of 12 children and adolescents with cytogenetic-molecular diagnosis of SPW (6 in each group) and their mothers. Children and adolescents had their body weight recorded and the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 6-18 years old (CBCL/6-18) was answered by the mothers. The groups presented statistically significant differences related to problems of anxiety and depression, violation of rules and defiance and opposition. The group with restricted access to food presented more behavioral problems...

Restricción alimentaria y sobrealimentación: un modelo de la neurociencia afectiva: [revisión] / Overeating and restrained eaters: an affective neuroscience perspective: [review]

Some subjects may overeat when they experience anxiety even if they chronically restrict their food consumption. This contradictory behavior is a dysfunctional emotional regulation mechanism, which promotes the development of obesity and eating disorders. We review studies from a research program where alimentary restriction and overeating are conceived under the perspective of affective neuroscience. In this framework, restrained eaters (RE) are descríbed as subjects that are emotionally vulnerable and have dysfunctional emotional modulation strategies. We discuss empine evidence about the influence of motivational systems on alimentary behavior. Electrophysiological observations in RE reveal a self-referential processing of food stimulus as well as dysfunctional processing duríng the differentiation of emotional expressions. We stress the role of emotional education and the creation of psychometríc instruments designed for early detection of restrained eaters.