The optimal cut-off score of the Eating Attitude Test-26 for screening eating disorders in Japan.

PURPOSE: The Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) is a screening tool for eating disorders (EDs) in clinical and non-clinical samples. The cut-off score was suggested to be varied according to target population. However, no studies have examined the appropriateness of the originally proposed score of 20 for screening DSM-5 eating disorders in Japan. This study aimed to identify an appropriate cut-off score to better differentiate clinical and non-clinical samples in Japan for EDs. METHODS: The participants consisted of 54 patients with anorexia nervosa restricting type, 58 patients with anorexia nervosa binge-eating/purging type, 37 patients with bulimia nervosa diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria, and 190 healthy controls (HCs). Welch's t test was used to assess differences in age, body mass index (BMI), and total EAT-26 scores between HCs and patients with EDs. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to identify the optimal cut-off score. RESULTS: The HCs had significantly higher BMI and lower total EAT-26 mean scores than patients with EDs. The area under the ROC curve was 0.925, indicating that EAT-26 had excellent performance in discriminating patients with EDs from HCs. An optimal cut-off score of 17 was identified, with sensitivity and specificity values of 0.866 and 0.868, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The result supports the suggestions that optimal cut-off score should be different according to target populations. The newly identified cut-off score of 17 would enable the identification of patients with EDs who have been previously classified as non-clinical samples in the EAT-26 test. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III: evidence obtained from case-control analytic study.

Educational attainment in eating disorders: What can we learn from visualising data.

BACKGROUND: Educational attainment is an understudied outcome in eating disorders (ED). We compared the educational attainment of individuals with and without ED. METHODS: This study is a nationwide, register-based, observational epidemiological study using record linkage. The studied cohorts were (1) all persons treated psychiatrically for ED from 1970 to 2014, and (2) a control population matched for sex, age, and place of residence. The International Standard Classification of Education 2011 was used to classify educational attainment. We employed ineqord, a series of graphical and analytical tools that are appropriate for comparing the distributions of ordinal data (Jenkins, 2020). RESULTS: Females with ED attained higher educational levels than males with ED. Males with ED had lower average educational levels than controls. On average, female controls attained higher educational levels than patients with ED in the eating disorders not otherwise specified or overeating groups. Females with anorexia nervosa, differed from matched controls: While their median was the same, too many participants were in the lower and higher levels of educational attainment. Females with bulimia nervosa had higher educational levels than matched controls on average. CONCLUSIONS: Educational attainment differs between individuals with and without out ED for all ED diagnoses and in both sexes.

Exposures during pregnancy and at birth are associated with the risk of offspring eating disorders.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (ED) are severe psychiatric disorders, commonly debuting early. Aberrances in the intrauterine environment and at birth have been associated with risk of ED. Here, we explore if, and at what effect size, a variety of such exposures associate with offspring ED, that is, anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). METHODS: This population-based cohort study, conducted from September 2021 to August 2023, used Finnish national registries of all live births in 1996-2014 (N = 1,097,753). Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to compare ED risk in exposed versus unexposed offspring, adjusting for potential confounders and performing sex-stratified analyses. RESULTS: A total of 6614 offspring were diagnosed with an ED; 3668 AN, 666 BN, and 4248 EDNOS. Lower risk of offspring AN was seen with young mothers, continued smoking, and instrumental delivery, while higher risk was seen with older mothers, inflammatory disorders, prematurity, small for gestational age, and low Apgar. Offspring risk of BN was higher with continued smoking and prematurity, while lower with postmature birth. Offspring risk of EDNOS was lower with instrumental delivery, higher for older mothers, polycystic ovary syndrome, insulin-treated pregestational diabetes, antibacterial treatment, prematurity, and small for gestational age. Sex-specific associations were found. CONCLUSIONS: Several prenatal and at birth exposures are associated with offspring ED; however, we cannot exclude confounding by maternal BMI. Nevertheless, several exposures selectively associate with risk of either AN, BN, or EDNOS, and some are sex-specific, emphasizing the importance of subtype- and sex-stratified analyses of ED. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: We define environmental factors involved in the development of different ED, of importance as preventive measure, but also in order to aid in defining the molecular pathways involved and thus in the longer perspective contribute to the development of pharmacological treatment of ED.

Eating disorders in young patients with neurofibromatosis type 1.

AIM: We describe the association of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and feeding and eating disorders (FED) in five patients admitted to our third level centre for both FED and NF1. METHODS: Case series of five adolescent females with NF1 treated for FED. RESULTS: We collected data from five patients with NF1 aged between 14 and 22 years, all females. The onset of eating disorder symptoms occurred between 13 and 19 years of age and was characterised by food intake restriction, associated with physical hyperactivity in three out of five cases. One patient also reported self-injurious acts and episodic binges. Patients received diagnoses of anorexia nervosa (AN, n = 2), atypical AN (n = 1), bulimia nervosa (n = 1), unspecified feeding and eating disorder (n = 1). CONCLUSION: The current literature reports a single case of an adult with NF1 and comorbid AN, focusing on the dermatological features of NF1. Our article describes a case series of five patients in developmental age affected by NF1 and FED. Clinical and psychological features of NF1 may play a role in the pathogenesis of FED when these two conditions co-occur. The dermatological alterations of NF1 may contribute to body image distortion that characterises AN. Further research is required to systematically screen populations of patients with NF1 for the presence of FED.

Evaluation of a one-hour asynchronous video training for eating disorder screening and referral in U.S. Pediatric Primary Care: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and pilot-test the efficacy of an online training in improving comfort, knowledge, and behaviors related to eating disorders (EDs) screening among U.S.-based pediatric primary care providers (PCPs). METHODS: PCPs (N = 84) completed a baseline survey assessing comfort, knowledge, and behaviors regarding ED screening and referral, then watched a 1-h training video followed by a post-video survey. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to complete spaced-education questions in the following 2 months. All participants completed a 2-month follow-up survey. We used McNemar's and McNemar-Bowker tests to assess differences from baseline to post-video and post-video to follow-up, and logistic models to assess differences by spaced-education condition. RESULTS: From baseline to post-video, there were significant improvements in PCPs' knowledge about and comfort in screening and making referrals for EDs (p < .05). There were no differences between spaced-education conditions in knowledge and behaviors from baseline or post-video to follow-up, but spaced-education participants reported significantly greater comfort in screening for BN (p < .01) and BED (p < .01) compared to non-spaced-education participants. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that a 1-h asynchronous training can improve PCP comfort, knowledge, and behavior in screening for EDs; spaced-education may provide slight additional benefits in PCP comfort. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: The delivery of an 1-h asynchronous online video training helped to improve PCPs' comfort, knowledge, and behavior in screening and referral for EDs among pediatric populations. This has implications for future evaluations of brief trainings among this provider population, which could ultimately help to improve early identification of EDs and referrals to appropriate treatment.

Increased plasma asprosin levels are associated with overeating and loss of control in drug-free bulimia nervosa.

PURPOSE: Abnormalities in appetite hormones have been implicated in bulimia nervosa (BN). Orexigenic hormone asprosin has been reported to be associated with food intake and weight gain, but no relevant studies have yet been reported in BN. This study investigated asprosin concentrations and their association with eating disorder symptoms in patients with BN. METHODS: This study recruited a total of 26 BN patients and 23 healthy controls (HC). Symptom severity for eating disorders, depression, and anxiety was determined by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire 6.0, Beck Depression Inventory, Version 2, and Beck Anxiety Inventory, respectively. In addition, the study employed sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay technology to determine plasma asprosin and glucose concentrations in all participants. RESULTS: The results revealed that plasma asprosin concentrations were significantly higher in BN patients than in HC (P = 0.037), but the difference disappeared after adjusting for the covariate BMI (F = 2.685, P = 0.108). Correlation analysis showed that asprosin concentration was positively correlated with overeating (r = 0.451, P = 0.021) and eating loss of control (r = 0.483, P = 0.012) in BN patients. Linear regression analysis indicated that an increase in asprosin concentration was associated with an increase in the times of overeating (F = 6.303, P = 0.019, R2 = 0.208). Multiple linear regression showed that increases in asprosin concentration and BDI-II total score could explain the frequent eating loss of control (F = 5.766, P = 0.009, R2 = 0.334). CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first report of plasma asprosin concentration in BN patients and found that overeating and eating loss of control increased with the increase of asprosin concentration. Additionally, asprosin level and degree of depression may explain the frequency of loss of control. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III: Evidence obtained from case-control studies.

Evolución y tratamiento de los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria en adolescentes: serie de casos / Treatment of eating disorders in adolescents: case series

Los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria son enfermedades de elevada prevalencia en la adolescencia y tienen repercusión en la salud integral. El objetivo fue describir su evolución y tratamiento en un grupo de adolescentes. Se estudiaron adolescentes menores de 18 años con al menos 6 meses de seguimiento y tratados por un equipo interdisciplinario. Se incluyeron 41 adolescentes: 23 presentaron anorexia nerviosa; 9, trastornos alimentarios no especificados; 7, bulimia nerviosa y 2, trastorno por atracones. El 35 % de pacientes con anorexia nerviosa requirió internación por complicaciones de la desnutrición. El 69 % de las pacientes con anorexia nerviosa, el 57 % de quienes tenían bulimia nerviosa y el 78 % de quienes tenían un trastorno alimentario no especificado presentaron remisión total o parcial, y no hubo pacientes fallecidos. La mayoría presentó una evolución favorable con el tratamiento.

Eating disorders are highly prevalent diseases in adolescence and have an impact on overall health. The objective was to describe the evolution and treatment of eating disorders in adolescents. Adolescents under 18 years of age with at least 6 months of follow-up and treated by an interdisciplinary team were studied. Forty one adolescents were included, 23 presented anorexia nervosa, 9 unspecified eating disorders, 7 bulimia nervosa and 2 binge eating disorders. Thirty five percent of patients with anorexia nervosa required hospitalization for complications of malnutrition. Sixty nine percent of the patients with anorexia nervosa, 57 % with bulimia nervosa, and 78 % with unspecified eating disorders had total or partial remission and there were no deceased patients. The majority presented a favorable evolution with the treatment.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Brazilian version of the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-5 (QEWP-5) / Adaptação transcultural da versão brasileira do Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-5 (QEWP-5)

Abstract Introduction The Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-5 (QEWP-5) is a self-report instrument developed to screen individuals for binge eating disorder (BED), as defined by the DSM-5. However, this version of the instrument had not been adapted for the Brazilian population. Objective To describe translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the QEWP-5 into Brazilian Portuguese. Methods Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the QEWP-5 included the following steps: forward translation, comparison of translations and a synthesis version, blind back-translations, comparison of the back translations with the original version, and a comprehensibility test. The comprehensibility test was conducted with a sample of 10 participants with BED or bulimia nervosa and 10 eating disorders experts. Additionally, a Content Validity Index (CVI-I) was calculated for each item and then averaged to produce an index for the entire scale (CVI-Ave), to assess content equivalence. Results Some inconsistencies emerged during the process of translation and adaptation. However, the expert committee solved them by consensus. The participants of the comprehensibility test understood the Brazilian version of QEWP-5 well. Only 2 patients (20%) had doubts about items related to subjective binge eating episodes. Content equivalence analysis rated all items relevant, with CVI-I ranging from 0.8 to 1.0 and an overall CVI-Ave of 0.94. In view of the good overall assessment of the pre-final version of the instrument, additional changes were not made to the final version. Conclusion The Brazilian version of the QEWP-5 was cross-culturally adapted and was well understood by the target population. Further studies are required to assess its psychometric properties.

Resumo Introdução O Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-5 (QEWP-5) - Questionário sobre Padrões de Alimentação e Peso-5 - é um instrumento auto preenchível utilizado para rastrear indivíduos com transtorno da compulsão alimentar (TCA) segundo os critérios do DSM-5. Entretanto, essa versão do instrumento ainda não foi adaptada para a população brasileira. Objetivo Descrever a tradução e adaptação transcultural do QEWP-5 para a língua portuguesa. Métodos O processo de adaptação transcultural incluiu as seguintes etapas: tradução, comparação das traduções e elaboração da versão síntese, retro-tradução com cegamento, comparação das retrotraduções com a versão original, e teste de compreensibilidade. O teste de compreensibilidade foi conduzido em uma amostra de 10 indivíduos com TCA ou bulimia nervosa e 10 especialistas em Transtornos Alimentares. Adicionalmente, foram calculados o Índice de Validade de Conteúdo para cada item (IVC-I) e para a média da escala (IVC-M), para avaliar a equivalência de conteúdo. Resultados Durante o processo de tradução e adaptação surgiram algumas discrepâncias. No entanto, elas foram solucionadas por meio de consenso do comitê de especialistas. No teste de compreensibilidade, a versão brasileira do QEWP-5 foi bem compreendida pelos participantes. Somente 2 participantes (20%) apresentaram questionamentos sobre itens relacionados aos episódios de compulsão alimentar subjetivos. Em relação à equivalência de conteúdo, todos os itens foram avaliados como relevantes, com o IVC-I variando de 0,8 a 1,0. Ademais, o IVC-M foi 0,94. Considerando a boa avaliação geral da versão pré-final do instrumento, não foram realizadas alterações na versão final. Conclusão A versão brasileira do QEWP-5 foi adaptada transculturalmente e bem compreendida pela população-alvo. Estudos adicionais são necessários para avaliar suas propriedades psicométricas.

Preliminary examination of insulin and amylin levels in women with purging disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This preliminary study explored whether differences in meal-stimulated insulin or amylin release are linked to altered ingestive behaviors in individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) or purging disorder (PD). METHOD: Women with BN (n = 15), PD (n = 16), or no eating disorder (n = 18) underwent structured clinical interviews and assessments of gut hormone and subjective responses to a fixed test meal. Multilevel model analyses were used to explore whether gut hormone responses contribute to subjective responses to the test meal and whether these associations differed by group. RESULTS: Insulin and amylin levels significantly increased following the test meal. Women with PD showed greater insulin release compared to those with BN, but not controls. Multilevel models support significant group X insulin interactions predicting subjective ratings of nausea and urge to vomit, with a stronger association between higher insulin responses and higher nausea and urge to vomit in women with PD and BN. Amylin responses did not differ by group. CONCLUSION: Increased sensitivity to the effects of insulin on nausea and urge to vomit may be linked to purging in both PD and BN. Differences in postprandial insulin levels may be linked to purging behavior in the absence versus presence of binge eating.

Socio-demographic Characteristics, Biochemical and Cytokine Levels in Bulimia Nervosa Candidates for Sleeve Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are widely known by abnormal eating behaviors associated with significant medical complications. Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder characterized by uncontrolled episodes of overeating typically followed by some form of compensatory behaviors. We aimed to determine the relationships between socio-demographic characteristics, biochemical markers, and cytokine levels in BN candidates for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). METHODS: A case-control study was designed among 76 BN participants of Iranian descent who were candidates for LSG based on defined criteria for Bulimia by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The healthy control subjects (n = 42) were selected at random from academic staff in the college. Moreover, levels of biochemical parameters and serum cytokines were measured in serum samples. RESULTS: Routine consumption of caffeine (odds ratio [OR] = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.23-6.41, P = 0.013), tobacco (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 0.67-3.57, P = 0.03), and alcohol (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 0.84-7.18, P = 0.048), and depression history (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 0.76- 5.79, P = 0.037) were substantially more common among patients with bulimia. Also, the serum levels of fasting blood sugar (P < 0.001), HbA1c (P = 0.04), cholesterol (P = 0.03), triglycerides (P = 0.01), blood urea nitrogen (P = 0.03), and pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly higher in BN candidates for LSG (P ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal that lifestyle-related risk factors and a depression history were both related with a significantly increased risk of BN among the candidates for LSG. Furthermore, there is a relationship between clinical characteristics as well as levels of various biochemical and cytokines parameters in serum of BN patients.

Psychiatric and medical correlates of DSM-5 eating disorders in a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To examine psychiatric and somatic correlates of DSM-5 eating disorders (EDs)-anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating disorder (BED)-in a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. METHOD: A national sample of 36,309 adult participants in the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions III (NESARC-III) completed structured diagnostic interviews (AUDADIS-5) to determine psychiatric disorders, including EDs, and reported 12-month diagnosis of chronic somatic conditions. Prevalence of lifetime psychiatric disorders and somatic conditions were calculated across the AN, BN, and BED groups and a fourth group without specific ED; multiple logistic regression models compared the likelihood of psychiatric/somatic conditions with each specific ED relative to the no-specific ED group. RESULTS: All three EDs were associated significantly with lifetime mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use disorders, and personality disorders. In all three EDs, major depressive disorder was the most prevalent, followed by alcohol use disorder. AN was associated significantly with fibromyalgia, cancer, anemia, and osteoporosis, and BED with diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and triglycerides. BN was not associated significantly with any somatic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This study examined lifetime psychiatric and somatic correlates of DSM-5 AN, BN, and BED in a large representative sample of U.S. adults. Our findings on significant associations with other psychiatric disorders and with current chronic somatic conditions indicate the serious burdens of EDs. Our findings suggest important differences across specific EDs and indicate some similarities and differences to previous smaller studies based on earlier diagnostic criteria.

A screening tool for detecting eating disorder risk and diagnostic symptoms among college-age women.

Objective: As eating disorders (EDs) often emerge during college, managing EDs would ideally integrate prevention and treatment. To achieve this goal, an efficient tool is needed that detects clinical symptoms and level of risk. This study evaluated the performance of a screen designed to identify individuals at risk for or with an ED. Participants: Five hundred forty-nine college-age women. Methods: Participants completed a screen and diagnostic interview. Results: Using parsimonious thresholds for ED diagnoses, screen sensitivity ranged from 0.90 (anorexia nervosa) to 0.55 (purging disorder). Specificity ranged from 0.99 (anorexia nervosa) to 0.78 (subthreshold binge eating disorder) compared to diagnostic interview. Moderate to high area under the curve values were observed. The screen had high sensitivity for detecting high risk. Conclusions: The screen identifies students at risk and has acceptable sensitivity and specificity for identifying most ED diagnoses. This tool is critical for establishing stepped care models for ED intervention.

Trastornos de la conducta alimentaria en estudiantes de medicina de una universidad de Perú / Eating disorders in medical students of a Peruvian university

Introducción: Los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria afectan con mayor frecuencia a jóvenes, y pueden llegar a tener importantes consecuencias en su salud mental y física. Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de probable diagnóstico de trastornos de conducta alimentaria en estudiantes de medicina y sus factores asociados. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal realizado en estudiantes de medicina del primer año de una universidad de Lima, Perú. Se aplicó un cuestionario virtual para recolectar los datos de interés. Aquellos con un puntaje ≥20 en elEatingAttitudes Test-26, se consideronconprobable diagnóstico de trastornos de conducta alimentaria.Para evaluar los factores se calcularon razones de prevalencia y intervalos de confianza al 95% usando regresiones de Poissoncrudas con varianza robusta. Resultados: Del total de 440 estudiantes de primer año, 375 (85,2 por ciento) completaron la encuesta. La prevalencia de probable diagnóstico de trastornos de conducta alimentaria fue de 10,1 por ciento (11,3 en mujeres y 8,6 en varones).Los factores asociados a esta variable fueron: rechazo escolar por trastornos nutricionales, rechazo laboral por la delgadez, rechazo social cercano por la imagen corporal, influencia familiar sobre la imagen corporal, influencia de la imagen corporal de modelos de pasarela e influencia de los anuncios televisivos de productos para adelgazar. Los dos últimos con los mayores valores de la razón de prevalencias. Conclusiones: Aproximadamente uno de cada diez estudiantes presentaprobable diagnóstico de trastornos de conducta alimentaria que se asocian con factores familiares, sociales,laborales y otros relacionados con los medios de comunicación(AU)

Introduction: Eating disorders affect mostly young persons, and may have important consequences on their mental and physical health. Objectives: To determine the probable diagnosis of eating disorders in medical students and to evaluate their associated factors. Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study performed in first-year medical students of a private university in Lima, Peru. An electronic survey was administrated to collect data of interest. Those students with a score ≥20 in the Eating Attitudes Test-26 were considered to have probable diagnosis of eating disorders. For assessment of associated factors, we calculated prevalence ratios and 95 percent confidence intervals using Poisson crude regressions with robust variance. Results: Of 440 first-year medical students, 375 (85.2 percent) completed our survey. The prevalence of probable diagnosis of eating disorders in the study population was 10.1 percent (11.3for females and 8.6for males). Associated factors to this variable were: school rejection due to nutritional disorders, job rejection due to thinness, social rejection of body image, family influence on body image, influence of fashion show models' body image and influence of TV advertisement of slimming products. The two latter reached the highest prevalence ratio values. Conclusions: Around one in ten students has a probable diagnosis of eating disorders associated with family, social, work and mass media-related factors(AU)

Maladaptive eating behavior assessment among bariatric surgery candidates: Evaluation of the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale.

BACKGROUND: Eating pathology among bariatric surgery candidates is common and associated with adverse outcomes. However, its assessment is complicated by the inconsistent use of standardized measures. We addressed this by examining the use of the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS) in a large bariatric sample (N = 343). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the EDDS among bariatric surgery candidates via examination of: (1) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) and fifth edition (DSM-5) rates of binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and maladaptive eating behaviors, and (2) the relationship between response biases and self-reported eating disorder symptoms. SETTING: Participants were bariatric surgery candidates at a large public hospital in the Midwest. METHODS: As part of a larger preoperative evaluation, 343 patients seeking bariatric surgery completed the EDDS and measures of problematic response bias. RESULTS: Approximately 16% of the sample met full threshold criteria for binge eating disorder using DSM-5 criteria. Using the DSM-IV-TR, rates were lower but still substantial at 13%. Rates for bulimia nervosa were 8% (DSM-5) and 6% (DSM-IV-TR). The majority (66.1%) of participants reported at least one binge-eating episode per week. The most commonly used compensatory behavior was fasting (20.4%), followed by excessive exercise (11.7%), laxative use (5.6%), and vomiting (1.8%). An inverse relationship between severity of the eating symptomatology and problematic response bias emerged. CONCLUSION: The EDDS shows promise as a screening tool that uses diagnostic criteria to provide rates of binge eating and eating psychopathology among surgical candidates. Our findings suggest that subsequent validation studies of this measure are needed, should address potential response bias concerns, and should employ clear definitions of binge eating to promote standardization of eating pathology assessment in the bariatric population.

Increased risk of disordered eating in polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the effects of EDs on health-related quality of life. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: University practice. PATIENT(S): Women with PCOS (Rotterdam criteria; n = 148) and controls seen for routine gynecologic care (n = 106) from 2015 to 2016. INTERVENTION(S): Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (PCOSQ). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): EDE-Q and NEQ scores, prevalence of bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and night eating syndrome (NES). RESULT(S): Women with PCOS were at an increased risk for overall abnormal EDE-Q scores compared with controls (12.16% vs. 2.83%; odds ratio [OR], 4.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36, 16.58). Clinically significant elevated scores were noted for shape and weight concern. In unadjusted analysis, body mass index (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01, 1.11), elevated depression score (OR, 5.43; 95% CI, 1.85, 15.88), and elevated anxiety score (OR, 6.60; 95% CI, 2.45, 17.76) were associated with an abnormal EDE-Q global score. In the multivariable model, PCOS was associated with abnormal EDE-Q global score (adjusted OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.16, 18.80). Elevated EDE-Q scores inversely correlated with PCOSQ scores (r = -0.57). The prevalence of BN was 6.1%, of BED was 17.6%, and of NES was 12.9% in women with PCOS, with no differences compared with controls. CONCLUSION(S): Women with PCOS, especially those with concurrent anxiety symptoms but independent of obesity, have a significantly increased risk of abnormal EDE-Q scores. Our findings suggest the need for routine screening for ED in this population.

Smoking status and psychosocial factors in binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: To examine eating-disorder psychopathology and depressive symptoms by smoking status (never, former, or current smoker) in persons with binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN). METHODS: Participants were 575 adult volunteers from the community (mean age=36.0±12years and BMI=32.9±9.5kg/m(2); 80% white; 88% female) who were classified with BED (n=410) or BN (n=165). Participants completed a battery of questionnaires, including items about current and historical cigarette smoking, the Eating Disorder Examination -Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS: Among those with BED, depressive symptoms were significantly higher in current smokers than former or never smokers (p=.001). There were no significant differences in depressive symptoms by smoking status in participants with BN and no differences in eating-disorder psychopathology by smoking status in either the BED or BN groups. DISCUSSION: In this non-clinical group of community volunteers, we found that smoking history or status was not associated with eating disorder psychopathology in participants classified with BED and BN but was significantly associated with depressive symptoms in participants with BED.

Initial evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Eating disorders are life-threatening conditions that are challenging to address; however, the primary care setting provides an important opportunity for critical medical and psychosocial intervention. The recently published Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed., includes updated diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa (e.g., elimination of amenorrhea as a diagnostic criterion) and for bulimia nervosa (e.g., criterion for frequency of binge episodes decreased to an average of once per week). In addition to the role of environmental triggers and societal expectations of body size and shape, research has suggested that genes and discrete biochemical signals contribute to the development of eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa occur most often in adolescent females and are often accompanied by depression and other comorbid psychiatric disorders. For low-weight patients with anorexia nervosa, virtually all physiologic systems are affected, ranging from hypotension and osteopenia to life-threatening arrhythmias, often requiring emergent assessment and hospitalization for metabolic stabilization. In patients with frequent purging or laxative abuse, the presence of electrolyte abnormalities requires prompt intervention. Family-based treatment is helpful for adolescents with anorexia nervosa, whereas short-term psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavior therapy, is effective for most patients with bulimia nervosa. The use of psychotropic medications is limited for anorexia nervosa, whereas treatment studies have shown a benefit of antidepressant medications for patients with bulimia nervosa. Treatment is most effective when it includes a multidisciplinary, teambased approach.

External Eating as a Predictor of Cue-reactivity to Food-related Virtual Environments.

The objective of this study was to assess the association between external eating style and food craving experienced during exposure to food cues in virtual reality (VR) environments in both clinical and non-clinical samples. According to the externality theory, people with external eating experience higher reactivity when exposed to food cues, which in turn increases the probability of overeating. Forty patients with eating disorders (23 with bulimia nervosa and 17 with binge eating disorder) and 78 undergraduate students were exposed to 10 different food cues in four VR environments (kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and café). After 30 seconds of exposure to each VR environment, food craving was assessed using a visual analog scale. External, emotional and restrictive eating styles were also assessed using the DEBQ. The results showed a strong association between external eating and cue-elicited food craving. After controlling for the presence of eating disorder diagnosis, external eating was the best predictor of reported food craving. The results lend support to the externality theory but highlight the need for further research in specific patterns of functioning in patients with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

[A pilot study on the specificity of body image disturbance in anorexia nervosa]. / Eine Pilotstudie zur Spezifität der Körperbildstörung für Anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Body image disturbance (BID) is a central feature of anorexia nervosa (AN), but evidence for bodily-related disorders also exists for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), who are frequently underweight. A comparison of BID in patients with AN, CF and controls serves to clarify the specificity of BID for AN. METHOD: 22 patients with AN, 10 patients with CF, and 23 controls were tested with regard to perceptual and cognitive-affective components of BID. Further data concerning eating-disorder-related psychopathology were assessed. RESULTS: BID occurred in all patients with AN. Patients with CF perceived themselves as thinner than the controls did, and three of them exhibited BID. Patients with AN and CF did not differ regarding body satisfaction, and only controls showed higher satisfaction than patients with CF. Patients with AN and CF differed on desire for thinness, dissatisfaction with their body, and interoceptive awareness, with higher scores occurring in patients with AN. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study reveals no severe psychopathology concerning body image in patients with CF. However, we did observe a general body dissatisfaction among these patients, probably associated with their being underweight. BID still seems to be a central diagnostic criterion for AN and should be carefully considered during therapeutic interventions.