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Background: In this study, eating behaviors and alexithymia levels in obese adolescents were investigated. Relationships between alexithymia, eating behavior and insulin resistance were studied., Methods: The patient group consisted of 87 obese adolescents or overweight adolescents (O + OW). The comparison group consisted of 101 normal weight adolescents (N). Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Child Version, are used for assessing adolescents. The homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance was calculated to determine insulin resistance., Results: Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children scores were significantly higher in O + OW than N (P = 0.009). Both emotional and restrained eating scores are higher in O + OW (P < 0.001 for both). On the other hand, external eating scores were not significantly different. In O + OW, external eating was positively associated with homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (r: 035, P = 0.006), but is not associated with fasting blood glucose and the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (r: -0.05, P = 0.62; r: -0.05, P = 0.73). Regression analysis showed that restrained and emotional eating were predictors of O + OW (B: 0.1, P < 0.001; B: 0.06, P = 0.001). Emotional eating was positively correlated with the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children and Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Child Version in O + OW (r: 0.29, P = 0.008; r: 0.48, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Obese and overweight adolescents were more alexithymic than normal weight adolescents. Alexithymia scores were also positively associated with emotional eating. On the other hand, alexithymia was not a predictor of obesity/overweight. Restrained and emotional eating were predictors of obesity/overweight. Emotional and restrained eating were more common in obese and overweight adolescents than normal-weight adolescents. External eating is not significantly associated with obesity but is related to insulin resistance., (© 2021 Japan Pediatric Society.)

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic became a serious health concern globally, patients with chronic diseases have required close attention with regard to general risks and individual treatment. We aimed to reveal the general health status of pediatric asthmatic patients during the pandemic, considering the role of household factors in parental attitudes., Methods: We asked 60 asthmatic patients and their parents to respond to a questionnaire, with the aim of revealing the current health status of the patients and the general approach of the family to asthma management during the pandemic., Results: A total of eight patients had had an asthma attack during the outbreak, but there was no confirmed correlation with COVID-19 infection. Most of the parents had never considered stopping their children's current medications. However, the majority of them reported concerns about the failure of the ambulatory care services and almost all saw their children as being at high risk for COVID-19 infection. There was no significant relationship between these concerns and their psychological status (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: The crucial point regarding asthma management is to control patients' medical and psychological status to minimize the effects of the pandemic. Healthcare professionals should also pay attention to members of the patients' households because their adaptation to the "new normal" of pandemic may directly affect the patients' state of health., (© 2020 Japan Pediatric Society.)