Celiac disease is a chronic disease that occurs in the small intestine, its treatment is based on
diet, through the permanent exclusion of gluten. However, following a gluten-free diet
imposes adaptations and restrictions to daily life and psychosocial impacts. Thus, although the
gluten-free diet is physically beneficial for the individual, its restrictive nature can affect
relationships with food and result in disordered eating behaviors. Objective: to verify the
association between anxiety level and disordered eating behaviors in celiac patients.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study carried out with adults diagnosed with celiac
disease of both sexes and aged between 15 and 70 years. Data were collected through an
online form composed of: Free and Informed Consent Form, social, economic, demographic
aspects, anthropometric data and aspects of celiac disease, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
(STAI) and a behavioral assessment questionnaire. to feed. Descriptive statistics of the
variables and multiple binary logistic regression analysis were performed with alpha at 5%.
Results: Of the total sample (n=96) research participants, 96.88% were female, 35.42% were
between 30 and 39 years old, 29.17% lived in the Midwest region, 53.13 % have a
postgraduate degree, 53.13% have a family income of more than 4 minimum wages, 56.25%
are eutrophic and 96.88% responded that they strictly follow a gluten-free diet. As for the
level of anxiety, 48.96% of those studied had an average level of anxiety. More than 90% of
celiacs did not show uncontrolled eating and did not transgress the gluten-free diet, however
43.75% restricted food and 39.58% had emotional eating. A significant association was found
between anxiety level and emotional eating (p=0,0001). Conclusion: Therefore, the
importance of research that evaluates emotional factors and how they interfere in the eating
behavior of people with celiac disease is emphasized, so that specific interventions can be
designed for this population in order to contribute to the quality of life of these patients.
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