scholarly journals The Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative: Study description and sample characteristics of the Australian and New Zealand arm

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 583-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine M Kirk ◽  
Felicity C Martin ◽  
Amy Mao ◽  
Richard Parker ◽  
Sarah Maguire ◽  
...  

Objectives: Anorexia nervosa is a severe psychiatric disorder with high mortality rates. While its aetiology is poorly understood, there is evidence of a significant genetic component. The Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative is an international collaboration which aims to understand the genetic basis of the disorder. This paper describes the recruitment and characteristics of the Australasian Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative sample, the largest sample of individuals with anorexia nervosa ever assembled across Australia and New Zealand. Methods: Participants completed an online questionnaire based on the Structured Clinical Interview Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) eating disorders section. Participants who met specified case criteria for lifetime anorexia nervosa were requested to provide a DNA sample for genetic analysis. Results: Overall, the study recruited 3414 Australians and 543 New Zealanders meeting the lifetime anorexia nervosa case criteria by using a variety of conventional and social media recruitment methods. At the time of questionnaire completion, 28% had a body mass index ⩽ 18.5 kg/m2. Fasting and exercise were the most commonly employed methods of weight control, and were associated with the youngest reported ages of onset. At the time of the study, 32% of participants meeting lifetime anorexia nervosa case criteria were under the care of a medical practitioner; those with current body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2 were more likely to be currently receiving medical care (56%) than those with current body mass index ⩾ 18.5 kg/m2 (23%). Professional treatment for eating disorders was most likely to have been received from general practitioners (45% of study participants), dietitians (42%) and outpatient programmes (42%). Conclusions: This study was effective in assembling the largest community sample of people with lifetime anorexia nervosa in Australia and New Zealand to date. The proportion of people with anorexia nervosa currently receiving medical care, and the most common sources of treatment accessed, indicates the importance of training for general practitioners and dietitians in treating anorexia nervosa.

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Vale ◽  
Sara Brito ◽  
Lígia Paulos ◽  
Pascoal Moleiro

Objective To analyse the progression of body mass index in eating disorders and to determine the percentile for establishment and resolution of the disease.Methods A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study. Review of clinical files of adolescents with eating disorders.Results Of the 62 female adolescents studied with eating disorders, 51 presented with eating disorder not otherwise specified, 10 anorexia nervosa, and 1 bulimia nervosa. Twenty-one of these adolescents had menstrual disorders; in that, 14 secondary amenorrhea and 7 menstrual irregularities (6 eating disorder not otherwise specified, and 1 bulimia nervosa). In average, in anorectic adolescents, the initial body mass index was in 75thpercentile; secondary amenorrhea was established 1 month after onset of the disease; minimum weight was 76.6% of ideal body mass index (at 4th percentile) at 10.2 months of disease; and resolution of amenorrhea occurred at 24 months, with average weight recovery of 93.4% of the ideal. In eating disorder not otherwise specified with menstrual disorder (n=10), the mean initial body mass index was at 85thpercentile; minimal weight was in average 97.7% of the ideal value (minimum body mass index was in 52nd percentile) at 14.9 months of disease; body mass index stabilization occured at 1.6 year of disease; and mean body mass index was in 73rd percentile. Considering eating disorder not otherwise specified with secondary amenorrhea (n=4); secondary amenorrhea occurred at 4 months, with resolution at 12 months of disease (mean 65th percentile body mass index).Conclusion One-third of the eating disorder group had menstrual disorder − two-thirds presented with amenorrhea. This study indicated that for the resolution of their menstrual disturbance the body mass index percentiles to be achieved by female adolescents with eating disorders was 25-50 in anorexia nervosa, and 50-75, in eating disorder not otherwise specified.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-72
Author(s):  
Ana Luísa Arantes Pagano ◽  
◽  
Gabriela Bueno Araújo ◽  
Gabriela Spolon Freitas ◽  
Rafaela Garcia Lopes ◽  
...  

Introduction: The concept of body image is defined as the subjective image about the forms and characteristics of the body itself, which integrates physical, mental, and emotional levels about this perception. Excessive concern with weight and body shape and the divinization of exaggerated thinness can lead to eating disorders, which are characterized as psychiatric diseases defined by changes in eating behavior, which mainly affects women, being a source of physical and psychological damage. One of the most common disorders is anorexia nervosa (AN). Objective: To analyze the body perception and anorexic behavior of students at a medical school in the interior of São Paulo. Methods: This is an observational, qualitative study to assess the body perception and anorexic behavior of university students at a medical school in the city of Catanduva-SP. The sample consisted of 141 students. To assess the perception of body image, the Kakeshita silhouette scale, and a visual analog scale were used. For the evaluation of the subjective component of the body image, a virtual questionnaire was applied by Google Forms on the evaluated components. The assessment of nutritional status considered the classification of the body mass index and the EAT-26 test. For statistical analysis, the Wilcoxon non-parametric test was used. Results: The students had an average age of 21.34 years ± 2.2 and an average height of 1.64 meters. The average of the real Body Mass Index (BMI) was 22.08 Kg/m², the perception of BMI was 26.40 Kg/m² and the desired BMI was 22.93 Kg/m², the last two being different statistically from the first. As for EAT-26, 73 students obtained a score greater than or equal to 21, which is considered a risky behavior for the development of AN. Conclusion: Most students have an altered perception of their body image since the perception of BMI is higher than the real BMI. In addition, it was noted, from the positive EAT-26, the existence of a high-risk behavior index for anorexia nervosa in the women in the sample. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the causes of the divergence between reality and looking at oneself in order to prevent such changes from becoming eating disorders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Boulos Nakhoul ◽  
Anthony Mina ◽  
Michel Soufia ◽  
Sahar Obeid ◽  
Souheil Hallit

Abstract Background Restrained eating disorder is prevalent worldwide across both ethnic and different cultural groups, and most importantly within the adolescent population. Additionally, comorbidities of restrained eating present a large burden on both physical and mental health of individuals. Moreover, literature is relatively scarce in Arab countries regarding eating disorders, let alone restrained eating, and among adolescent populations; hence, the aim of this study was to (1) validate the Dutch Restrained Eating Scale in a sample of Lebanese adolescents and (2) assess factors correlated with restrained eating (RE), while taking body dissatisfaction as a moderator between body mass index (BMI) and RE. Methods This cross-sectional study, conducted between May and June 2020 during the lockdown period imposed by the Lebanese government, included 614 adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years from all Lebanese governorates (mean age of 16.66 ± 1.01 years). The scales used were: Dutch Restrained Eating Scale, body dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory-Second version, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beirut Distress Scale (for psychological distress), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire (for depression). Results The factor analysis yielded a one-factor solution with Eigen values > 1 (variance explained = 59.65 %; αCronbach = 0.924). Female gender (B = 0.19), higher BMI (B = 0.49), higher physical activity index (B = 0.17), following a diet to lose weight (B = 0.26), starving oneself to lose weight (B = 0.13), more body dissatisfaction (B = 1.09), and higher stress (B = 0.18) were significantly associated with more RE, whereas taking medications to lose weight (B=-0.10) was significantly associated with less RE. The interaction body mass index (BMI) by body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with RE; in the group with low BMI, higher body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with more RE. Conclusions Our study showed that the Dutch Restrained Eating scale is an adapted and validated tool to be used among Lebanese adolescents and revealed factors associated with restrained eating in this population. Since restrained eating has been associated with many clinically-diagnosed eating disorders, the results of this study might serve as a first step towards the development of prevention strategies targeted towards promoting a healthy lifestyle in Lebanese adolescents.


2012 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 699-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maragatha N. Kuchibhatla ◽  
Gerda G. Fillenbaum ◽  
William E. Kraus ◽  
Harvey Jay Cohen ◽  
Dan G. Blazer

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 440-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K. Bachrach ◽  
David Guido ◽  
Debra Katzman ◽  
Iris F. Litt ◽  
Robert Marcus

Osteoporosis develops in women with chronic anorexia nervosa. To determine whether bone mass is reduced in younger patients as well, bone density was studied in a group of adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa. With single- and dual-photon absorptiometry, a comparison was made of bone mineral density of midradius, lumbar spine, and whole body in 18 girls (12 to 20 years of age) with anorexia nervosa and 25 healthy control subjects of comparable age. Patients had significantly lower lumbar vertebral bone density than did control subjects (0.830 ± 0.140 vs 1.054 ± 0.139 g/cm2) and significantly lower whole body bone mass (0.700 ± 0.130 vs 0.955 ± 0.130 g/cm2). Midradius bone density was not significantly reduced. Of 18 patients, 12 had bone density greater than 2 standard deviations less than normal values for age. The diagnosis of anorexia nervosa had been made less than 1 year earlier for half of these girls. Body mass index correlated significantly with bone mass in girls who were not anorexic (P &lt; .05, .005, and .0001 for lumbar, radius, and whole body, respectively). Bone mineral correlated significantly with body mass index in patients with anorexia nervosa as well. In addition, age at onset and duration of anorexia nervosa, but not calcium intake, activity level, or duration of amenorrhea correlated significantly with bone mineral density. It was concluded that important deficits of bone mass occur as a frequent and often early complication of anorexia nervosa in adolescence. Whole body is considerably more sensitive than midradius bone density as a measure of cortical bone loss in this illness. Low body mass index is an important predictor of this reduction in bone mass.


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