The Age of Onset of Eating Disorders

Anorexia nervosa 110Bulimia nervosa 112Eating disorders are defined as persistent disturbance of eating (± behaviour) that impairs physical health or psychosocial functioning or both and that is not secondary to any other medical or psychiatric disorder.Anorexia nervosa is a complex disorder described in a number of different ways and recognized for >100 years. It involves voluntary self-starvation, with weight loss, or avoidance of weight gain during adolescence. Peak age of onset is in mid-teens, with a female to male ratio of 10:1, and a prevalence of around 1%. Genetic factors are important, with 55% of monozygotic twins being concordant for anorexia. Sociocultural factors are highly relevant, with the illness occurring predominantly in Western societies where thinness has become increasingly valued as an element of the feminine ideal. Reported mortality rates vary from 0 to 22%....

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Comorbidity and age of onset of eating disorders in gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2009.10.013 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 180 (2-3) ◽

pp. 126-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Matthew B. Feldman ◽

Ilan H. Meyer

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Gay Men ◽

Age Of Onset

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Decreased food intake after a choking incident

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ◽

10.1093/med/9780197577479.003.0022 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 175-180

Author(s):

Kathryn S. Czepiel

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Food Intake ◽

Psychosocial Functioning ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Age Of Onset ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Nutritional Deficiencies ◽

Abnormal Eating ◽

Patient At Risk

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by problematic eating habits that place the patient at risk for nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, dependence on enteral feeding or nutritional supplements, or marked interference with psychosocial functioning. Unlike most other eating disorders, the abnormal eating behaviors seen in ARFID are not motivated by a disturbance in body image or the desire to be thinner. Compared to other eating disorders, ARFID is more likely to present in younger males with a median age of onset of 11 to 12 years. Symptoms of ARFID may develop after a traumatic food event such as choking. The assessment of ARFID should include a history including eating habits and a medical workup that evaluates for coexisting medical conditions. Successful treatment plans employ a multidisciplinary approach that includes weight stabilization and exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy.

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Age of onset in eating disorders

International Journal of Eating Disorders ◽

10.1002/1098-108x(199207)12:1<31::aid-eat2260120105>3.0.co;2-s ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 31-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

D. Blake Woodside ◽

Paul E. Garfinkel

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Age Of Onset

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Age at menarche, eating disorders, and their relationships with some parameters in female adolescents in Iran

BMC Research Notes ◽

10.1186/s13104-021-05482-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lida Daeie-Farshbaf ◽

Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani ◽

Parvin Sarbakhsh ◽

Neda Roshanravan ◽

Ali Tarighat-Esfanjani

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Age Of Onset ◽

Negative Association ◽

Health Conditions ◽

Female Adolescents ◽

Age At Menarche ◽

Social Emotional ◽

Early Maturation ◽

Significant Relationships ◽

Study Population

Abstract Objective Adolescence as one of the most challenging periods of humans’ growth is accompanied with major physical, behavioural, social-emotional, and neuroendocrine changes. Early maturation and eating disorders (EDs) have been reported to be associated with adverse health conditions. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess age of onset of menarche (AM), EDs, and their possible relationships with weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and socioeconomic status (SES) in the Iranian female adolescents. Results In the study population, mean ± standard deviation (SD) of AM was 12.95 ± 1.14 years. Inverse significant relationships were found between weight and AM, also BMI and AM (p < 0.05). There was a negative association between weight and anorexia nervosa (AN), BMI and AN, also WC and AN (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between SES and AM, also EDs and AM (p < 0.05) then between weight and bulimia nervosa (BN) & binge-eating disorder (BED), BMI and BN & BED, also WC and BD & BED (p < 0.001). Our results also revealed that AM in mothers had a significant positive relationship with AM in their daughters (p < 0.001, r = 0.34).

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Anorexia nervosa: change over time in age of onset, presentation and duration of illness

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291700027872 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 719-729 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

C. G. Hindler ◽

A. H. Crisp ◽

S. McGuigan ◽

N. Joughin

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Anorexia Nervosa ◽

Age Of Onset ◽

Tertiary Referral ◽

Tertiary Referral Centre ◽

Change Over Time ◽

The Past ◽

Duration Of Illness ◽

Patient Referrals ◽

Over Time

SynopsisThe question as to whether anorexia nervosa as an illness has transformed itself was partially addressed in an investigation into the possible change over time in age of onset, age of presentation and the derived variable, delay between onset and presentation. These three variables were examined in 827 patients diagnosed as suffering with anorexia nervosa, who had attended the Eating Disorders Unit at the Middlesex and St George's Hospitals from 1960 to 1990. This analysis revealed a stable age of onset but a lengthening in duration of illness and associated increase of age at presentation. However, investigation of data obtained from two other tertiary referral centres revealed stability of all three variables over time.The overall conclusion was that there has been no change in the age of onset of anorexia nervosa during the past 30 years. The increasing delay in presentation to the eating disorders clinic is most likely attributable to a change in the practice of patient referrals to a national tertiary referral centre.

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The role of physical activity in the development and maintenance of eating disorders

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291700029044 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 957-967 ◽

Cited By ~ 188

Author(s):

C. Davis ◽

S. H. Kennedy ◽

E. Ravelski ◽

M. Dionne

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Eating Disorders ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Anorexia Nervosa ◽

Age Of Onset ◽

Control Group ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Secondary Symptom ◽

Activity Data ◽

Sport And Exercise

SynopsisThis study was intended to establish the pathogenic significance of sport and exercise in the development of eating disorders. Hospitalized eating disordered patients and an age-matched control group were assessed. Historical and current physical activity data were collected. An in-depth interview was also conducted to ascertain the age of onset of the diagnostic symptoms for eating disorders, and to determine whether: (i) exercising predated dieting; (ii) patients had been involved in competitive athletics; (iii) exercise was excessive; and (iv) weight loss was inversely related to level of exercise. The results indicated that patients were more physically active than controls from adolescence onwards, and prior to the onset of the primary diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. A content analysis of the interview data indicated that 78% of patients engaged in excessive exercise, 60% were competitive athletes prior to the onset of their disorder, 60% reported that sport or exercise pre-dated dieting, and 75% claimed that physical activity levels steadily increased during the period when food intake and weight loss decreased the most. Together our results suggest that overactivity should not be routinely viewed as a secondary symptom in anorexia nervosa, equivalent to other behaviours. For a number of anorexic women, sport/exercise is an integral part of the pathogenesis and progression of self-starvation.

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