Weight Cycling as a Risk Factor for Low Muscle Mass and Strength in a Population of Males and Females with Obesity.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether multiple weight cycles in adulthood are an independent predictor of lower muscle mass and reduced strength, with potential implication for sarcopenia in adults with obesity. METHODS: A total of 60 males and 147 females with obesity were included, with a mean BMI of 37.9 ± 6.0 kg/m2 and a mean age of 52.6 ± 12.4 years. Muscle strength was evaluated with handgrip and appendicular skeletal muscle mass was measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Participants were categorized into the following three groups: non-weight cyclers, mild weight cyclers, and severe weight cyclers. From a binary logistic regression that considered muscle mass categories as a dependent variable and weight cycling categories, age, and sex as independent variables, severe weight cyclers showed a 3.8-times increased risk of low muscle mass (95% CI: 1.42-10.01). Considering handgrip strength categories as a dependent variable and weight cycling categories, age, sex, and BMI as independent variables, severe weight cycling was associated with an increased risk of low muscle mass (about 6.3 times, 95% CI: 1.96-20.59). Severe weight cyclers showed a 5.2-times greater risk of developing sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS: In adults with obesity, weight cycling is associated with lower muscle mass and strength and a greater likelihood of developing sarcopenic obesity.

A Longitudinal Study of Eating Rituals in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa.

Background: Eating rituals are any problematic behaviors involving food. They are usually observed in patients with anorexia nervosa, but research into these behaviors and their role in treatment outcomes is lacking. Objective: We set out to assess the presence of eating rituals in patients with anorexia nervosa treated by means of intensive enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT-E), in addition to their change over time and role as potential predictors of treatment outcome. Materials and Methods: Ninety adult female inpatients with anorexia nervosa were recruited. The Participants' body mass index (BMI), and scores for Starvation Symptoms Inventory (SSI), Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were recorded, and a purpose-designed 9-item checklist of eating rituals was completed by trained dieticians during assisted eating - an integral part of the ICBT-E. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV was used at admission to identify the presence of coexisting axis I psychiatric disorders. All other tests were administered at baseline (admission), the end of treatment and 6-month follow-up. BMI, EDE, and BSI were also re-administered after 4 weeks of treatment in order to examine how refeeding affects these variables. Results: We found a correlation at baseline between eating rituals and both general and eating-disorder psychopathology scores. Eating rituals were also associated with the presence of at least one comorbid anxiety disorder. ICBT-E treatment was associated with a significant reduction in eating rituals, as well as a significant increase in BMI and improved eating-disorder and general psychopathology. However, our most relevant finding was that neither baseline eating ritual scores nor their change during treatment was associated with either BMI or general or eating-disorder psychopathology scores taken at either the end of therapy or at 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: Neither the presence of nor change in eating rituals influence treatment outcomes in patients with anorexia nervosa.

Starvation symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa: a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in starvation symptoms over time and their role as potential predictors of change in eating disorder and general psychopathology in patients with anorexia nervosa treated by means of intensive enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT-E). METHOD: Ninety adult female patients with anorexia nervosa (63 restricting type and 27 binge-eating/purging type) were recruited. Body mass index (BMI), Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) interview, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and Starvation Symptoms Inventory (SSI) scores were recorded at admission, at the end of treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. All tests, except for the EDE, were also administered after 4 weeks of treatment to assess the role of refeeding on these variables. RESULTS: At baseline, starvation symptoms were correlated with measures of eating disorder and general psychopathology. The treatment was associated with a significant increase in BMI, improvement in eating disorder and general psychopathology, and a significant reduction in starvation symptoms. The change in SSI scores from baseline to 4 weeks predicted the improvement in EDE eating concern subscale and global BSI scores. Among patients who had restored their body weight by the end of treatment, dietary restraint and eating concern EDE-Q subscales, global EDE-Q and SSI scores showed greater improvement in the first 4 weeks than in the remaining 16 weeks of treatment. DISCUSSION: The findings underline the close relationship between improvements in both starvation symptoms and eating disorder and general psychopathology and indicate the important role of refeeding in ameliorating both.

Physical activity, body weight, and resumption of menses in anorexia nervosa.

Few data are available on long-term outcomes and increased physical activity at the end of inpatient treatment in patients with anorexia nervosa. Hence we assessed the association between physical activity, measured objectively by Sense Wear Armband (SWA), and body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) and menses resumption at one-year follow-up in 32 females with anorexia nervosa who had restored normal body weight by the end of a specialist inpatient treatment. Combined logistic regression models used to evaluate the relationship between variables at discharge, BMI and resumption of menses at one-year follow-up revealed no significant association between BMI at one-year follow-up and physical activity patterns at inpatient discharge. However, total daily steps at inpatient discharge were significantly lower in patients who had resumed menstruation, as confirmed by logistic regression analysis. A small reduction in daily steps at inpatient discharge (~1000 steps) was found to increase the probability of menses resumption at one-year follow-up by ~3%. These data provide preliminary indications as to the potential usefulness of assessing daily steps to predict the resumption of menses at one-year follow-up in patients with anorexia nervosa who restore body weight by the end of inpatient treatment, although confirmation on larger samples is urgently required.

Sleep Patterns Before and After Weight Restoration in Females with Anorexia Nervosa: A Longitudinal Controlled Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess sleep patterns in female patients with anorexia nervosa before and after weight restoration. METHODS: Sleep patterns were measured objectively using a Sense Wear Armband before and after weight restoration in 50 female patients with anorexia nervosa, and in 25 healthy females. RESULTS: At baseline, patients with anorexia nervosa exhibited lower total sleep time and sleep onset latency than controls, the former apparently associated with baseline BMI, duration of illness and age. However, after weight restoration, total sleep time and sleep onset latency were similar to controls, despite the persistence of longer periods of wake after sleep onset. DISCUSSION: In patients with anorexia nervosa, total sleep time and sleep onset latency appears to be reduced. This sleep disturbance seems to be influenced by the duration and severity of malnutrition, and appears to normalize with weight restoration. Even though a discontinuous sleep pattern seems to persist, this finding should be discussed with patients. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Strong relationship between vitamin D status and bone mineral density in anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with impaired bone health and low bone mineral density (BMD) as a consequence of an inadequate peak bone mass in adolescence and bone loss in young adulthood. The vitamin D status with its implications for bone health in patients affected by AN has only been examined previously in small studies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and test the hypothesis that patients with AN and vitamin D deficiency might have worse bone metabolism and lower bone density as compared with AN with adequate vitamin D repletion. DESIGN: We analysed the vitamin D status and bone metabolism in a large cohort (n=89) of untreated patients affected by AN, with amenorrhoea. RESULTS: Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in untreated patients with AN: 16.9% had 25OH vitamin D levels below 12 ng/ml, 36% below 20 ng/ml and 58.4% below 30 ng/ml. PTH values were higher and BMD at both femoral sites were lower in patients with vitamin D<20 ng/ml. Progressively higher values of BMD were observed by 4 ranks of 25 OH vitamin D values (severe deficiency: <12 ng/ml, deficiency: ≥12 ng/ml and <20 ng/ml, insufficiency: ≥20 and <30 ng/ml and normal: ≥30 ng/ml). In patients with severe vitamin D deficiency BMD at the hip were significantly lower than that measured in groups with values over 20 ng/ml (p<0.001 for trend). The level of significance did not change for values adjusted for BMI or body weight. CONCLUSION: We found a strong relationship between vitamin D status and hip BMD values with additional benefits for those with 25OHD levels above 20 ng/ml. Our results support the design of a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial on the effect of vitamin D on BMD in patients with AN. The second point, whether 25OHD should be above 20 or 30 ng/ml remains a discussion point.

The eating disorder examination: reliability and validity of the Italian version.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the psychometric characteristics of the Italian language version of the latest edition of the eating disorder examination (EDE). METHODS: An Italian version of the EDE (17th edition) was designed and administered to 185 in- and outpatients with eating disorders and 60 age-matched controls. Its internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, short-term (7-23 days) test-retest reliability and criterion validity were evaluated. RESULTS: Internal consistency was high for all four original EDE subscales. Inter-rater reliability was excellent for global EDE scores and original subscales (≥0.93), and for eating disorder behaviours (≥0.89). Test-retest reliability was good for global EDE scores and original subscales (0.57-0.80), objective bulimic episodes and days, vomiting episodes, laxative and diuretic misuse episodes, and excessive exercising (≥0.82), but unsatisfactory for subjective bulimic episodes and days. Patients with eating disorders displayed significantly higher EDE scores than age-matched controls, demonstrating the good criterion validity of the instrument. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian version of the EDE 17.0D has adequate psychometric properties and can therefore be recommended for examining Italian patients with eating disorders in clinical and research settings.