The association between mental health and Bulimia Nervosa among a sample of Lebanese young adults: the indirect effect of difficulties in emotion regulation

Background: Bulimia nervosa (BN) is defined as repeated episodes of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting. BN has been shown to be associated with many co-morbidities including depression and anxiety. BN has also been associated with stress, which was shown to trigger binge eating episodes in BN. Furthermore, difficulties in emotion regulation have been seen to play an important role in the psychopathology of eating disorders, including BN. Seeing that BN is the most prevalent eating disorder in Lebanon, which is linked to the stressful events the country has been through, the study aims to examine the indirect effect of emotional dysregulation on this relationship between mental health issues (stress, anxiety and depression) and bulimia nervosa among young adults. We hypothesize that difficulties in emotion regulation would have an indirect effect in the relationship between mental health and BN. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study, based on an online anonymous survey, which was carried out between September and December of 2020. Participants were all 18 years and above, recruited from all Lebanese governorates (n = 1175). Results: Difficulties in emotion regulation mediated the association between anxiety/stress/depression and bulimia. Higher mental health issues were significantly associated with more difficulties in emotion regulation; higher difficulties in emotion regulation were significantly associated with more bulimia. Finally, higher anxiety and higher stress, but not depression, were significantly and directly associated with higher bulimia. Conclusion: Results of this study could be used by mental health professional to shed light on the difficulties in emotion regulation in patients with BN and try to use therapeutic strategies to help them better regulate their emotions.