Depression in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

Minor psychiatric disorders, specially depression and anxiety, are highly prevalent in Latin American (LA) countries including Brazil. Some important social factors specially present in medium and large LA cities such as violence, migration and homelessness probably contribute to large number of people suffering of different forms of depressive and anxiety disorders. Latin America was colonized about 500 years ago by Spain and Portugal and their cultural identity is still very much influenced by Ibero-American attitudes and beliefs.

Binge-eating disorder in Brazilian women on a weight-loss program.

Objective: To examine binge-eating disorder (BED) and its association with obesity, weight patterns, and psychopathology in a Brazilian sample of female participants of a weight-loss program in São Paulo, Brazil.

Research Methods And Procedures: Two hundred and seventeen overweight (body mass index >/= 25 kg/m(2)) women, ages 15 to 59 years, enrolled in the Weight Watchers Program were recruited for the study at a program branch meeting after completing the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. Participants were categorized into four groups: those who met questionnaire criteria for BED, those who met questionnaire criteria for bulimia nervosa (BN), those that reported binge eating but did not meet all the criteria for any eating disorder (BE), and those with no eating disorder symptoms (No ED).