Sintomas de Ansiedade, Comportamento de Grazing e Fatores Associados em Pessoas com Diabetes Tipo 2

Abstract

Aims: To identify the level of anxiety symptoms, the frequency of grazing behavior, and associated factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes treated at a public reference hospital. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study conducted from August 2023 to August 2024, involving 157 patients aged 20 to 64 years, of both sexes, at the João de Barros Barreto University Hospital. Socioeconomic, clinical, and anthropometric data were assessed. The following instruments were applied: Beck Anxiety Inventory, Repetitive Eating Questionnaire, The Eating Motivation Survey, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version. Results: A total of 157 individuals were interviewed, with a mean age of 54.71±7.29 years, the majority being female (72.61%). On average, they had 11±8.3 years since diabetes diagnosis, most used insulin (50.96%), did not have access to nutritional follow-up (67.52%), were considered physically active (52.22%), had fasting blood glucose levels above the recommended range (52.23%), and elevated glycated hemoglobin levels (54.14%). The dimensions most relevant for guiding food choices were habits (11.74±2.47), need and hunger (11.11±2.39), preferences (11.11±2.66), health (10.57±2.68), and traditional eating (9.94±2.71). The total anxiety symptom score showed a positive and statistically significant correlation with the grazing behavior score (r= 0.267; p= 0.001). Although few participants had diagnoses of depressive disorders (7%), anxiety disorders (7%), neuropathy (22.29%), and/or other psychiatric disorders (1.9%), 42.46% used psychotropic medications, with this group showing higher levels of anxiety symptoms (p=<0.001). The anxiety symptom score maintained a positive correlation only with the compulsive grazing subscale score, independent of psychotropic medication use. Conclusion: Most participants exhibited minimal anxiety symptoms. The mean score for the repetitive eating subscale was slightly higher than that for the compulsive grazing subscale. The anxiety symptom score showed a positive correlation with the grazing score and glycated hemoglobin levels. The five most relevant dimensions for food choices were habits, need and hunger, preferences, health, and traditional eating. Weight control was the only motivation that showed a negative correlation with compulsive grazing and repetitive eating.