Psychopathology and dietary restriction: A comparison between eating disorders and Type 1 diabetes

The Authors studied psychological effects of chronic dietary restriction in different pathological groups, with exogenous or self prescribed dieting: a group of Type 1 diabetic subjects, and a group of chronic anorexic subjects. In addition to the comparison with a group of normal controls, the two groups with dietary restriction were compared to a group of bulimic subjects, who displayed dyscontrol of eating behaviour. Four groups of 11 young adult subjects (Anorexics, Bulimics, Type 1 Diabetics and Controls), age range 20-39 years, were studied by I.P.A.T. ASQ (anxiety questionnaire), I.P.A.T, CDQ (Clinical Depression Questionnaire) and Draw a Person test. Variance analysis showed significant differences between groups: both Eating disorders groups showed clinically relevant depression levels, that were significantly higher than controls, whereas Diabetic subjects had scores not different from normal controls. The variable dyscontrol over eating behaviour was related (Bulimic Ss.) to significantly higher level of anxiety in comparison with other groups. At Draw a Person test, Anorexic and Diabetic Ss. showed a less articulated body concept than normal and Bulimic Ss. While diabetes free from long term complications does not seem to be a cause of clinical depression or anxiety, the body dimension is involved in these subjects, in the area of cognitive and emotional dependence. Anxious and depressive components are instead an integrant part of Eating disorders psychopathology and of self-prescribed dietary restrictions.