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.

Associations between parental socioeconomic-, family-, and sibling status and risk of eating disorders in offspring in a Danish national female cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Studies on parental socioeconomic status (SES) and family risk factors for eating disorders (EDs) have yielded inconsistent results; however, several studies have identified high parental educational attainment as a risk factor. The aim was to evaluate associations of parental SES and family composition with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) in the offspring, adjusting for parental age and parental mental health. METHODS: The cohort included women born in Denmark between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 2010, derived from Danish national registers. Each person was followed from their sixth birthday until onset of the disorder of interest or to December 31, 2016. Exposure variables were: childhood SES, defined as individually evaluated parental level of income, occupation, and education; sibling status; and family composition. Outcomes were: AN, BN, EDNOS, and major depressive disorder (MDD), included as a psychiatric comparison disorder. Risks were estimated using Cox proportional hazards. RESULTS: High parental SES was associated with increased risk of especially AN, and less so BN and EDNOS, in offspring. In comparison, low SES was associated with a higher risk of MDD. No differences between maternal or paternal socioeconomic risk factors were found. Family composition and sibling status showed limited influence on ED risk. DISCUSSION: SES shows opposite associations with AN than MDD, whereas associations with BN and EDNOS are intermediate. The socioeconomic backdrop of AN differs markedly from that reported in other psychiatric disorders. Whether that is due to genetic and/or environmental factors remains unknown. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Parental socioeconomic background (SES) may influence eating disorders risk in offspring somewhat differently than other psychiatric disorders. In Denmark, higher parental SES was associated with increased risk of, particularly, anorexia nervosa (AN). Importantly AN does strike across the SES spectrum. We must ensure that individuals of all backgrounds have equal access to care and are equally likely to be detected and treated appropriately for eating disorders.

Prenatal and perinatal factors and risk of eating disorders.

BACKGROUND: Among the most disabling and fatal psychiatric illnesses, eating disorders (EDs) often manifest early in life, which encourages investigations into in utero and perinatal environmental risk factors. The objective of this study was to determine whether complications during pregnancy and birth and perinatal conditions are associated with later eating disorder risk in offspring and whether these associations are unique to EDs. METHODS: All individuals born in Denmark to Danish-born parents 1989-2010 were included in the study and followed from their 6th birthday until the end of 2016. Exposure to factors related to pregnancy, birth, and perinatal conditions was determined using national registers, as were hospital-based diagnoses of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified during follow-up. For comparison, diagnoses of depressive, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders were also included. Cox regression was used to compare hazards of psychiatric disorders in exposed and unexposed individuals. RESULTS: 1 167 043 individuals were included in the analysis. We found that similar to the comparison disorders, prematurity was associated with increased eating disorder risk. Conversely, patterns of increasing risks of EDs, especially in AN, with increasing parental ages differed from the more U-shaped patterns observed for depressive and anxiety disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that pregnancy and early life are vulnerable developmental periods when exposures may influence offspring mental health, including eating disorder risk, later in life. The results suggest that some events pose more global transdiagnostic risk whereas other patterns, such as increasing parental ages, appear more specific to EDs.

Restrictive eating disorders in higher weight persons: A systematic review of atypical anorexia nervosa prevalence and consecutive admission literature.

OBJECTIVE: Currently, there is debate in the eating disorders field regarding how to define atypical anorexia (AAN), how prevalent it is in community and clinical settings, and how AAN rates compare with low-weight AN. This systematic review assesses AAN literature from 2007 to 2020, to investigate: (a) the demographic characteristics of AAN studies, (b) the prevalence of AAN compared with AN, (c) the range of operational definitions of AAN and the implications of these definitions, and (d) the proportion of patients with AAN and AN represented in consecutive admission and referral samples. METHOD: PsychINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, Greylit.org, and ProQuest databases were searched according to methods for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses systematic reviews, yielding 3,184 potential articles. Seventy-five eligible studies were coded for sixty-one variables. RESULTS: Clinical samples predominantly included younger, female, white samples with limited diversity. In epidemiological designs, AAN was typically as common or more common than AN, and AAN rates varied significantly based on the population studied and operational definitions. In consecutive clinical samples, AAN was frequently less represented. DISCUSSION: Although AAN appears to occur more frequently than AN in communities, fewer patients with AAN are being referred and admitted to eating disorder specific care, particularly in the United States. Given the significant medical and psychosocial consequences of AAN, and the importance of early intervention, this represents a crucial treatment gap. Additionally, results suggest the need for fine-tuning diagnostic definitions, greater diversity in AAN studies, and increased screening and referral for this vulnerable population.

OBJETIVO: Actualmente, hay debate en el campo de los trastornos alimenticios sobre cómo definir la anorexia atípica (ANA), cuán prevalente es en entornos comunitarios y clínicos, y cómo las tasas de ANA se comparan con AN de bajo peso. Esta revisión sistemática evalúa la literatura de ANA de 2007 a 2020, para investigar: 1) las características demográficas de los estudios de ANA, 2) la prevalencia de ANA en comparación con AN, 3) el rango de definiciones operativas de ANA y las implicaciones de estas definiciones, y 4) la proporción de pacientes con ANA y AN representados en muestras consecutivas de admisión y derivación. MÉTODO: Las bases de datos de PsychINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, Greylit.orgy y ProQuest fueron buscados de acuerdo con los métodos preferidos para el reporte de ítems para Revisiones Sistemáticas y Metanálisis de Revisiones Sistemáticas, dando lugar a 3184 artículos potenciales. Setenta y cinco estudios elegibles fueron codificados para 61 variables. RESULTADOS: Las muestras clínicas incluían predominantemente muestras de femeninas, más jóvenes, y blancas con diversidad limitada. En los diseños epidemiológicos, la ANA era típicamente tan común o más común que AN, y las tasas de ANA variaban significativamente en función de la población estudiada y las definiciones operacionales. En muestras clínicas consecutivas, la ANA fue frecuentemente menos representada. DISCUSIÓN: Aunque ANA parece ocurrir con más frecuencia que AN en las comunidades, menos pacientes con ANA están siendo referidos y admitidos a la atención específica del trastorno alimentario, particularmente en los Estados Unidos. Dadas las importantes consecuencias médicas y psicosociales de ANA, y la importancia de la intervención temprana, esto representa una brecha de tratamiento crucial. Además, los resultados sugieren la necesidad de ajustar las definiciones diagnósticas, una mayor diversidad en los estudios de ANA y un mayor cribado y referencia a tratamiento para esta población vulnerable.

How are families included in the treatment of adults affected by eating disorders? A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: The involvement of families in the treatment of adults with eating disorders is recommended as a core component of comprehensive care, yet little is known about the optimal way to implement or routinely facilitate this. This article evaluates the recent evidence on the inclusion of families in treatment programs for adults with eating disorders. METHOD: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify evidence of family inclusive treatment approaches for adults with eating disorders. A scoping review framework was applied to assess and synthesize findings. RESULTS: Sixty-eight studies were identified. Substantial conceptual research contributing to the theoretical basis of current practice with families of adults with eating disorders and clinical applications in current use were identified. Most research used uncontrolled studies with few experimental designs, reflecting the standing of the extant literature. Common elements of existing approaches have been distinguished and shared core components of interventions identified. DISCUSSION: Results confirmed that family members of adults were willing to be involved with eating disorder treatment services and appeared to respond to interventions of varying intensity and duration. The impact on individual patients, and effect on treatment outcomes, are yet to be established. The localized settings of existing studies, the homogenous nature of interventions used, and the limited diversity in research subjects, make it difficult to generalize from the results to the wide range of adult eating disorder presentations seen in practice. Suggestions for future research and further clinical developments are discussed.

OBJETIVO: La participación de las familias en el tratamiento de adultos con trastornos de la conducta alimentaria se recomienda como un componente central de la atención integral, sin embargo, se conoce poco sobre la 13 forma óptima de implementarlo o facilitarlo de manera rutinaria. Este artículo evalúa la evidencia 14 reciente sobre la inclusión de familias en programas de tratamiento para adultos con trastornos 15 alimentarios. MÉTODO: Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica sistemática para identificar evidencia de 16 enfoques de tratamiento inclusivo familiar para adultos con trastornos alimentarios. Se aplicó un marco de revisión del alcance 17 para evaluar y sintetizar los hallazgos. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 68 estudios 18. Se identificaron investigaciones conceptuales sustanciales que contribuyen a la base teórica de la práctica actual con familias de adultos con trastornos alimentarios y aplicaciones clínicas en 20 usos actuales. La mayoría de las investigaciones utilizaron estudios no controlados con pocos diseños experimentales, lo que refleja la posición de la literatura existente. Se han distinguido los elementos comunes 2 de los abordajes existentes y se han identificado componentes centrales compartidos de 3 intervenciones. DISCUSIÓN: Los resultados confirmaron que los miembros de la familia de los adultos 4 estaban dispuestos a participar en los servicios de tratamiento de los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria y parecían responder a intervenciones de intensidad y duración variables. Aún no se ha establecido el impacto en 6 pacientes individuales y el efecto en los resultados del tratamiento. Los 7 contextos localizados de los estudios existentes, la naturaleza homogénea de las intervenciones utilizadas y la diversidad limitada de los sujetos de investigación hacen que sea difícil generalizar de los resultados a la amplia gama de presentaciones de trastornos alimentarios en adultos observadas en la práctica. Se discuten sugerencias para investigaciones futuras y desarrollos clínicos adicionales.

[Eating disorders - diagnosis and characteristics]. / Zaburzenia odzywiania ­ rozpoznanie i charakterystyka.

Eating disorders are characterized by eating and appetite disorders, which develop on a mental basis. Currently, there is a rapid increase in the frequency of these disorders, especially among children and adolescents. Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and EDNOS, which include a dozen or so disorders, but this group is still expanding. Eating disorders are characterized by the highest mortality rate among all mental illnesses. They mainly affect adolescents and young adults as well as the female sex, however, there are more and more cases among men and people from other age groups. Anorexia nervosa is the conscious reduction of food intake in order to reduce body weight. In this disorder there is abnormal body image, underweight and fear of weight gain. According to the American Psychiatric Association, there are two types of anorexia nervosa - restrictive (limiting) and bulimic (laxative). Bulimia nervosa is characterized by abnormal food intake (overeating) and co-occurrence of compensatory methods aimed at limiting the absorption of consumed food. These methods include: provoking vomiting, excessive physical effort, taking diuretics and laxatives. Among the eating disorders we also distinguish eating disorders not defined otherwise (EDNOS). This is a group of diseases in which pathological eating behaviour occurs, but they do not meet the diagnostic criteria of anorexia or bulimia. The diagnosis of eating disorders is difficult not only because of the lack of specialists dealing with this subject, but also because of the lack of public awareness of these diseases. That is why it is so important to educate both medical staff and the general public about eating disorders.

Eating disorders and substance use at a South African tertiary hospital over a 21-year period.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) and substance-related disorders pose a challenge when they co-occur and have implications for patient management. Clinical information on EDs and substance-related disorders as independent disorders is fairly well established in South Africa, but our understanding of the coexistence of these disorders is limited. AIM: To determine the prevalence, the concurrent nature and the possible trends of substance use among patients diagnosed with EDs at a South African tertiary hospital over a 21-year period. SETTING: The ED unit at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of 162 patients who were treated for EDs between January 1993 and December 2014. RESULTS: The prevalence of ED subtypes was 40.1% bulimia nervosa (BN), 33.3% EDs not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and 26.5% anorexia nervosa. Most participants (71.0%) used at least one substance. Alcohol was the most prevalent substance of choice (54.8%). Most patients had an additional psychiatric disorder (62.3%), of which major depressive disorder was the most prevalent (46.3%). Apart from the use of alcohol and cannabis, which remained consistent, the use of most other substances as well as the prevalence of BN declined during the study period. CONCLUSION: Understanding the prevalence and trends of EDs and the corresponding patterns of substance misuse is essential to improve service provision. This study emphasises the need to better understand the ongoing and changing behavioural trends in EDs to improve patient management.

Early childhood adversities and risk of eating disorders in women: A Danish register-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies evaluating the association between early childhood adversities and eating disorders have yielded conflicting results. The aim of this study is to examine the association between a range of adversities and risk of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) in 495,244 women. METHOD: In this nationwide, register-based cohort study, nine types of early childhood adversity (family disruption, residential instability, placement in out-of-home care, familial death, parental somatic illness, parental psychiatric illness, parental disability, severe parental criminality, and parental substance use disorder) were defined and exposure during the first 6 years of life was determined. Hazard ratios for eating disorders were calculated using Cox regression. RESULTS: Few adversities were significantly associated with AN, and for each, the presence of the adversity was associated with lower risk for AN. BN, and EDNOS were positively associated with several types of adversities. AN rates were unchanged or reduced by up to 54% by adversities, whereas rates of BN and EDNOS were unchanged or increased by adversities by up to 49 and 89%, respectively. DISCUSSION: Our findings indicate that childhood adversities appear to be associated with an increased risk of BN and in particular EDNOS, whereas they seem to be either unassociated or associated with a decreased risk of AN.

Other specified and unspecified feeding or eating disorders among women in the community.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the occurrence, course, and clinical picture of the DSM-5 residual categories 'Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder' (OSFED) and 'Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder' (UFED), to describe potential subtypes, and to evaluate whether the subdivision of the residual category appears meaningful. METHOD: We screened women from the 1975-79 birth cohorts of Finnish twins (N = 2825) for lifetime eating disorders using questionnaires and the SCID interview. This analysis characterizes women who reported clinically significant eating disorder symptoms but did not fulfill diagnostic criteria for DSM-5 anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), or binge eating disorder (BED). RESULTS: Thirty-eight women (21% of those with an eating disorder) fell in the residual OSFED/UFED category. A third of them (N = 14) fulfilled OSFED criteria, whereas two thirds (N = 24) fell in the UFED category. The lifetime prevalence of OSFED/UFED was 1.5% (95% CI 1.1-2.0%), less than half of the prevalence of DSM-IV eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). The mean age of onset of OSFED/UFED was 18 years, median duration of symptoms was two years, and the 5-year probability of recovery was 60%. Over a third of women with OSFED/UFED suffered from comorbid psychiatric disorders. Both residual categories were clinically heterogeneous and included atypical forms of AN, BN, and BED. CONCLUSIONS: Applying the DSM-5 criteria in a community sample of young women more than halved the occurrence of residual eating disorder diagnoses, but resulted in two instead of one clinically heterogeneous residual categories. Nevertheless, residual eating disorders were associated with considerable clinical severity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:1010-1017).

Do eating disorders in parents predict eating disorders in children? Evidence from a Swedish cohort.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether parental eating disorders (ED) predict ED in children, using a large multigeneration register-based sample. METHOD: We used a subset of the Stockholm Youth Cohort born 1984-1995 and resident in Stockholm County in 2001-2007 (N = 286,232), The exposure was a diagnosed eating disorder in a parent; the outcome was any eating disorder diagnosis in their offspring, given by a specialist clinician, or inferred from an appointment at a specialist eating disorder clinic. A final study sample of 158,697 (55.4%) had data on these variables and confounding factors and contributed a total of 886,241 person years to the analysis. RESULTS: We found good evidence in support of the hypothesis that ED in either parent are independently associated with ED in their female children (HR 1.97 (95% CI: 1.17-3.33), P = 0.01) and that ED in mothers are independently associated with ED in their female children (HR 2.35 (95% CI: 1.39-3.97) P = 0.001). Numbers were too low to permit separate analysis of ED in parents and their male children. CONCLUSION: Eating disorders in parents were associated with ED in children. This study adds to our knowledge about the intergenerational transmission of ED, which will help identify high-risk groups and brings about the possibility of targeted prevention.

Healthcare costs and resource utilization of patients with binge-eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the one-year healthcare costs and utilization of patients with binge-eating disorder (BED) to patients with eating disorder not otherwise specified without BED (EDNOS-only) and to matched patients without an eating disorder (NED). METHODS: A natural language processing (NLP) algorithm identified adults with BED from clinical notes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) electronic health record database from 2000 to 2011. Patients with EDNOS-only were identified using ICD-9 code (307.50) and those with NLP-identified BED were excluded. First diagnosis date defined the index date for both groups. Patients with NED were randomly matched 4:1, as available, to patients with BED on age, sex, BMI, depression diagnosis, and index month. Patients with cost data (2005-2011) were included. Total healthcare, inpatient, outpatient, and pharmacy costs were examined. Generalized linear models were used to compare total one-year healthcare costs while adjusting for baseline patient characteristics. RESULTS: There were 257 BED, 743 EDNOS-only, and 823 matched NED patients identified. The mean (SD) total unadjusted one-year costs, in 2011 US dollars, were $33,716 ($38,928) for BED, $37,052 ($40,719) for EDNOS-only, and $19,548 ($35,780) for NED patients. When adjusting for patient characteristics, BED patients had one-year total healthcare costs $5,589 higher than EDNOS-only (p = 0.06) and $18,152 higher than matched NED patients (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: This study is the first to use NLP to identify BED patients and quantify their healthcare costs and utilization. Patients with BED had similar one-year total healthcare costs to EDNOS-only patients, but significantly higher costs than patients with NED.

Dietary intake and nutritional risk in Mediterranean adolescents in relation to the severity of the eating disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between the degree of severity of eating disorders (ED) and energy and nutrient intakes and nutritional risk in a mixed-sex adolescent population without clinical symptoms. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Data were collected in schools. SUBJECTS: Adolescents (n 495) aged 14·2 (sd 1·0) years. The Eating Attitudes Test was used to detect adolescents at risk of ED (rED) and a structured interview based on the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, was used to diagnose eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Dietary intake was quantified using the 24 h recall method over three days and the probability of inadequate intake was determined. RESULTS: Females presented lower intakes of energy, macronutrients and micronutrients (Ca, Fe, Mg, K, P, Na, thiamin, vitamins E, C, B6, B12, pantothenic acid, folic acid) because the severity of their ED was greater. These lower dietary intakes led to nutritional risk (for Ca, Fe, Mg, P, vitamins A, D, B6) in more than 80 % and 60 % of females with EDNOS and rED, respectively. The multiple linear regression models showed that the rED and EDNOS groups presented a lower energy intake of 1597·4 kJ/d (381·8 kcal/d) and 3153·0 kJ/d (753·6 kcal/d), respectively. In contrast, little difference was observed in the nutritional intakes of males. CONCLUSIONS: The female adolescents showed lower energy and nutrient intakes as the ED became more severe, which led to energy, vitamin and mineral deficiencies in a high percentage of females with ED. These nutritional risks could hinder adequate physical and psychological development and lead to chronic ED.

The meaning of (quality of) life in patients with eating disorders: a comparison of generic and disease-specific measures across diagnosis and outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Compare general and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among female patients with an eating disorder (ED). METHOD: Female patients (n = 221; 95.3% Caucasian; 94.0% never married) completed the Medical Outcome Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Eating Disorders Quality of Life (EDQoL) as part of a study of treatment outcomes. Multivariate regression models were used to compare HRQoL differences across initial ED diagnosis (85 AN-R, 19 AN-B/P, 27 BN, 90 EDNOS) and ED diagnostic classification at time of outcome assessment (140 no ED, 38 subthreshold ED, 43 full threshold ED). RESULTS: There were no significant differences across ED diagnosis at initial assessment on either of the SF-36 Component Summary scores. However, patients with AN-B/P scored poorer on the work/school EDQoL subscales than other ED diagnoses, and on the psychological EDQoL subscale compared to AN-R and EDNOS. At outcome assessment, comparisons across full threshold, subthreshold and no ED classification indicated that those with no ED reported better HRQoL than those with full threshold ED on the SF-36 Mental Components Summary and three of four EDQoL subscales. Furthermore, those with no ED reported better psychological HRQoL than those with subthreshold ED. DISCUSSION: Disease-specific HRQOL measures are important to use when comparing HRQoL in ED patients across treatment and outcome, and may have the sensitivity to detect meaningful differences by diagnosis more so than generic instruments. EDQoL scores from patients remitted from symptoms approach but do not reach scores for unaffected college females; thus, treatment should continue until quality of life is restored.

Poor outcome and death among youth, young adults, and midlife adults with eating disorders: an investigation of risk factors by age at assessment.

OBJECTIVE: Eating disorders (EDs) present across a broad age range, yet little is known about the characteristics and outcome of midlife patients compared to younger patients. Among patients seeking ED treatment who were stratified by age at initial assessment (IA), this study aimed to (1) discern sociodemographic and clinical differences, (2) determine outcome rates, and (3) identify predictors of poor outcome including death. METHOD: Participants [219 females (12 years or older, 94.1% Caucasian) who completed outcome assessment and 31 known decedents] were stratified by age at IA (<18 as youth, 18-39 as young adult, and ≥40 years as midlife adult). Analyses of variance and chi-square tests identified group differences; ordered logistic regression with stepwise selection identified factors predicting outcome. RESULTS: Midlife adults were more significantly compromised at follow-up compared to youths and young adults, including psychological and physical quality of life, ineffectiveness, interpersonal concerns, and general psychological maladjustment. Midlife adults had the highest rates of poor outcome or death; good outcome was achieved by only 5.9% of midlife adult compared to 14.0% of young adult and 27.5% of youth patients. Older age at IA, alcohol and/or drug misuse, endocrine concerns, and absence of family ED history predicted poor outcome or death. DISCUSSION: Midlife adults seeking ED treatment have more complex medical and psychological concerns and poorer outcomes than youths and young adults; further exploration is needed to improve treatment outcome. Specialized treatment focusing on quality of life, comorbid medical concerns, interpersonal connection, and emotion regulation is encouraged.

A latent class analysis to empirically describe eating disorders through developmental stages.

OBJECTIVES: The current standards for classifying eating disorders were primarily informed by adult, clinical study populations, while it is unknown whether an empirically based classification system can be supported across preadolescence through young adulthood. Using latent class analyses, we sought to empirically classify disordered eating in females from preadolescence to young adulthood, and assess the association between classes and adverse outcomes. METHOD: Latent class models were fit using observations from the 9,039 girls participating in the growing up today study, an on-going cohort following participants annually or biennially since 1996 when they were ages 9-14 years. Associations between classes and drug use, binge drinking, and depressive symptoms were assessed using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Across age groups, there was evidence of six classes: a large asymptomatic class, a class characterized by shape/weight concerns, a class characterized by overeating without loss of control, and three resembling full and subthreshold binge eating disorder, purging disorder, and bulimia nervosa. Relative prevalences of classes varied across developmental stages, with symptomatic classes increasing in prevalence with increasing age. Symptomatic classes were associated with concurrent and incident drug use, binge drinking, and high depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: A classification system resembling broader definitions of DSM-5 diagnoses along with two further subclinical symptomatic classes may be a useful framework for studying disordered eating among adolescent and young adult females.

Prevalence of eating disorders in middle-aged women.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the prevalence and correlates of eating disorders (ED) in middle-aged women. METHOD: We mailed anonymous questionnaires to 1,500 Austrian women aged 40-60 years, assessing ED (defined by DSM-IV), subthreshold ED, body image, and quality of life. We broadly defined "subthreshold ED" by the presence of either (1) binge eating with loss of control or (2) purging behavior, without requiring any of the other usual DSM-IV criteria for frequency or severity of these symptoms. RESULTS: Of the 715 (48%) responders, 33 [4.6%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.3-6.4%] reported symptoms meeting full DSM-IV criteria for an ED [bulimia nervosa = 10; binge eating disorder = 11; eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) = 12]. None displayed anorexia nervosa. Another 34 women (4.8%; CI: 3.4-6.6%) displayed subthreshold ED. These women showed levels of associated psychopathology virtually equal to the women with full-syndrome diagnoses. DISCUSSION: ED appear common in middle-aged women, with a preponderance of binge eating disorder and EDNOS diagnoses as compared to the "classical" diagnoses of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Interestingly, middle-aged women with even very broadly defined subthreshold ED showed distress and impairment comparable to women with full-scale ED.

Experienced Carers Helping Others (ECHO): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial to examine a psycho-educational intervention for adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their carers.

Experienced Carers Helping Others (ECHO) is an intervention for carers of people with eating disorders. This paper describes the theoretical background and protocol of a pilot multicentre randomised controlled trial that will explore the use of two variants of ECHO for improving outcomes for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) referred for outpatient care. Adolescent patients and their carers (typically parents and close others in a supportive role) will be recruited from 38 eating disorder outpatient services across the UK. Carers will be randomly allocated to receive 'ECHOc' guided self-help (in addition to treatment as usual), 'ECHO' self-help only (in addition to treatment as usual) or treatment as usual only. Primary outcomes are a summary measure of the Short Evaluation of Eating Disorders at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Secondary outcomes are general psychiatric morbidity of AN patients and carer, carers' coping and behaviour, and change in healthcare use and costs at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Therapist effects will be examined, and process evaluation of ECHOc will be completed. The findings from this pilot trial will be used in preparation for executing a definitive trial to determine the impact of the preferred variant of ECHO to improve treatment outcomes for AN.

Diagnosed eating disorders in Danish registers - incidence, prevalence, mortality, and polygenic risk.

Eating disorders are a group of severe and potentially enduring psychiatric disorders associated with increased mortality. Compared to other severe mental illnesses, they have received relatively limited research attention. Epidemiological studies often only report relative measures despite these being difficult to interpret having limited practical use. The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence and prevalence of diagnosed anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified recorded in Danish hospital registers and estimate both relative and absolute measures of subsequent mortality - both all-cause and cause-specific in a general nationwide population of 1,667,374 individuals. In a smaller, genetically informed case-cohort sample, the prediction of polygenic scores for AN, body fat percentage, and body mass index on AN prevalence and severity was estimated. Despite males being less likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder, those that do have significantly increased rates of mortality. AN prevalence was highest for individuals with high AN and low body fat percentage/body mass index polygenic scores.

Parent-child concordance in reporting of child eating disorder pathology as assessed by the eating disorder examination.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine parent-youth concordance in reporting of eating disorder pathology, as assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) in a clinical pediatric sample. METHOD: The sample comprised 619 parent-youth dyads of youth (8-18 years) presenting for treatment at a specialist eating disorder clinic. A cross-sectional correlational design was used to examine the association between parent and youth symptom reports. RESULTS: On the whole, parent-youth inter-rater agreement was poor to moderate. Agreement was acceptable for the presence of behavioral symptoms, with the exception of excessive exercise (PAK = 0.48-0.98). There was poor inter-rater agreement on frequency of behavioral symptoms, with parents providing lower estimates than youth (ICC = 0.07-0.52). Although we predicted that inter-rater agreement on cognitive symptoms would by higher with adolescents than children, both groups were discordant with parent reports. Younger children identified less severe eating disorder cognitions than parents and the opposite occurred for adolescents. An anorexia nervosa presentation and lower malnutrition were not associated with lower inter-rater agreement, as might have been expected through ego syntonicity. Youth with bulimia nervosa presentations reported significantly higher severity of cognitive symptoms and more frequent disordered eating behaviors compared with their parents. DISCUSSION: Results support the utility of parent-youth assessment via the EDE to obtain a wider clinical picture of eating disorder psychopathology in children and adolescents, particularly for younger children. Clinical implications pertinent to administration of the EDE and parent literacy regarding eating disorder symptoms are discussed.

Androgens impact on psychopathological variables according to CPRS, and EDI 2 scores: In women with bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified.

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is characterized by binge eating, compensatory behavior, over-evaluation of weight and shape, which often co-occur with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Depression is the most common comorbid diagnosis in women with eating disorders. The role of androgens in the pathophysiology of depression has been recognized in recent years. However, the research on psychopathological comorbidity and androgen levels in bulimic disease is sparse. This study aimed to investigate, if there were any correlations between the androgens, testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), androstenedione (A4), 5α-dihydrotestosterone, (5α-DHT), and test scores of psychopathological variables, in women with bulimia nervosa (BN), eating disorder not otherwise specified of purging subtype (EDNOS-P) assessed by CPRS, and EDI 2. Women with DSM-IV diagnosis of BN (n = 36), EDNOS-P (n = 27), and healthy control subjects (n = 58) evaluated for fifteen psychopathological variables, i.a. depressive symptoms, impulsivity, personal traits, as well as serum androgen levels. All women were euthyroid, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis was excluded. Although androgen levels were almost equal for all three groups, significant correlations between core psychopathological symptoms (9/15) of bulimia nervosa and the most potent endogenous androgen, 5α-DHT, was found only in the EDNOS-P group. The role of 5α-DHT in women is not fully elucidated. Both animal and human studies have shown that the brain is able to locally synthesize steroids de novo and is a target of steroid hormones. Maybe these results can be interpreted in the light of differences in androgen receptor variability, metabolism and origin of T and 5α-DHT.