[Bulimia nervosa and obesity. Clinical and psycho-social features, and intervention]

In this article, the authors deal with clinical and psycho-social aspects as well as treatment measures for nervous bulimia, overeating attacks and obesity. By studying these disorders, we have been able to notice the existence of common psycho-pathological characteristics. Impulsive behavior, more or less compulsive eating habits, and the presence of certain personality traits are different from nervous anorexia according to our study. However, our manner of viewing these disorders consists of considering nervous bulimia and overeating attacks as being clear psychiatric entities, while obesity can be a consequence, or not as seen in the majority of cases, of a psychiatric disorder, although there always exists a special weakness which causes one to suffer from these disorders and there exists a need for psychological support to complement a nutritional treatment program.