Eating disorders in undergraduate medical interns (UMI) and medical residents (MR) in Northern Mexico

Original title: TRASTORNOS DE CONDUCTA ALIMENTARIA EN MÉDICOS BECARIOS DE UN HOSPITAL DEL NORESTE DE MÉXICO

Background: Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental illnesses with a higher prevalence in young adults, with difficult diagnoses that cause serious morbi-mortality problems. There is not much information about the prevalence of EDs, specifically, anorexia and bulimia nervosa and night eating syndrome (NES) in undergraduate medical interns (UMI) and medical residents (MR) in Mexico. Aim: To determine the prevalence and if there is a difference between the risk factors: age, body mass index (BMI) and gender of MR and UMI with anorexia/bulimia nervosa and NES at four private hospitals in northeastern Mexico. Methods: a cross-sectional, descriptive, non-randomized survey in MR and UMI in four private hospitals in Northeastern Mexico was conducted using an electronic questionnaire that included: informed consent signature, SCOFF (sick, control, one stone, fat, food) questionnaire for anorexia/bulimia nervosa screening, NES questionnaire (NESQ). Also, a survey on general sociodemographic data of each participant was included. Chi-square test and a logistic regression model were computed for analyses. Results: The population included a total of 129 MR and UMI. It was observed that 48.8% were positive for anorexia/bulimia nervosa and 32.6% were positive for the NES. There was no difference between age, gender, BMI, or medical specialty (if they were MR); however, MR from the first year had a higher risk of anorexia/bulimia nervosa (OR 23.7, 95% CI 1.181- 475.266). Conclusions: Anorexia/bulimia nervosa and NES are more prevalent in UMI and MR in our population. In the case of MR, those in first year have a higher risk of anorexia/bulimia nervosa. Timely diagnosis and treatment are mandatory in this population.