Assessment of Eating Attitude and Psychiatric Parameters in Patients with Acne Vulgaris

Redundancy of psychological comorbidities in acne vulgaris may contribute to disturbed eating attitude.

The aim of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between acne vulgaris and disturbed eating attitude.

One hundred acne patients and 86 healthy volunteers evaluated by the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90) and possible indication of disordered eating using the Eating Attitudes Test-40 (EAT-40) and Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q).

Mean EAT-40 score was significantly higher in acne group (24.1±17.4) compared to control group (14.2±9.0) (P=0.001). Global score of EDE-Q and all subscores were statistically higher in acne group (for each, P=0.001). The proportion of participants whose meaningful scores for Restraint Eating and Weight Concern subscores of EDE-Q was significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group (P=0.003 and P=0.034, respectively). Obsessive-compulsive and Depression subscores of SCL-90-R among acne patients had meaningful EAT-40 scores that were statistically higher compared to those had EAT-40 scores <30 (P=0.030 and P=0.006, respectively).

Because of higher mortality and morbidity rates, clinicians should screen acne patients for possible disordered eating, with particular attention to those with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.