Evaluation of alexithymia and depression in severe obese patients not affected by eating disorders

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the different aspects of the construct of alexithymia in a group of severe obese patients not affected by eating disorders. Moreover, we tested if in the same patients there was a relationship between alexithymic traits and depressive symptoms.

Forty-nine severe obese patients were evaluated through the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The results were compared with those of a normal weight control group.

Obese patients were less able than control subjects in recognizing and labeling their own emotions. This deficit was positively associated with depressive symptoms.

The data suggest that severe obese patients have more difficulties in recognizing their emotions and have more depressive symptoms than control subjects have.