Prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in a community sample. (17/225)

OBJECTIVE: Diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder (BED) appear in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition as "criteria for further study." Few epidemiological studies of BED have been conducted. Our aim was to describe the prevalence and correlates of BED, as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) in a community sample. METHOD: Descriptive epidemiology from a survey of 910 randomly ascertained participants residing in the greater metropolitan area of St Louis, Mo. RESULTS: Sixty individuals (6.6%) screened positive for current BED, as assessed by the PHQ (BED+). Men were as likely to screen positive as women. BED+ subjects were at substantially elevated odds for depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and past suicide attempts; individuals with obesity who screened negative for BED (BED-) were not at elevated odds for these syndromes. BED+ subjects, but not other obese individuals, exhibited substantially lower scores on measures of mental health-related quality of life. Personality traits associated with BED symptoms included high Novelty Seeking, high Harm Avoidance, and low Self-directedness. Personality and psychiatric profiles in obese, BED- individuals were closer to those for normal-weight, BED- individuals, suggesting that BED is distinct from typical obesity. BED+ subjects reported mean body mass index of 34.1, more than 6 units above BED- subjects. CONCLUSION: PHQ-BED criteria are associated with substantial impairment, psychiatric comorbidity, and obesity and effectively discriminate obese individuals with psychological problems from obese subjects without similar problems. BED may be considerably more prevalent than other eating disorders and equally prevalent among men and women.  (+info)

Testing mediators of intervention effects in randomized controlled trials: An evaluation of two eating disorder prevention programs. (18/225)

The authors investigated mediators hypothesized to account for the effects of 2 eating disorder prevention programs using data from 355 adolescent girls who were randomized to a dissonance or a healthy weight intervention or an active control condition. The dissonance intervention produced significant reductions in outcomes (body dissatisfaction, dieting, negative affect, bulimic symptoms) and the mediator (thin-ideal internalization), change in the mediator correlated with change in outcomes and usually occurred before change in outcomes, and intervention effects became significantly weaker when change in the mediator was partialed, providing support for the hypothesized mediators and this new approach to testing mediation in randomized trials. Findings provide somewhat less support for the hypothesis that change in healthy eating and exercise would mediate the healthy weight intervention effects.  (+info)

Dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) associated with appetite suppression to methylphenidate in a case-control study of binge eating disorder. (19/225)

Response to psychomotor stimulants is highly variable across individuals. Such inconsistencies are influenced by many factors including drug dose and polymorphic differences in genes that encode proteins, such as the dopamine transporter (DAT1), which are relevant to the site of action of these substances. The current study used a double blind, crossover (methylphenidate vs placebo) design to assess DAT1 genotype differences on appetite ratings to a snack-food cue in subjects with binge eating disorder (BED) (n=32) and healthy age-matched controls (n=46). ANOVA results indicated a significant genotype x diagnostic group interaction whereby BED subjects with at least one copy of the 9-repeat allele showed a significant suppression of appetite in response to methylphenidate compared with controls with this allele, or to subjects with the 10/10 genotype (irrespective of diagnosis) whose drug response was indistinguishable from placebo. The most probable explanation for these findings is that some, currently unknown, genetic variant, which is overrepresented in those with BED, interacts with DAT1 to suppress appetite in response to stimulant administration. The current findings have implications for treatment response to drugs currently in use (or being developed) for the treatment of overeating and overweight.  (+info)

Risk of major adverse perinatal outcomes in women with eating disorders. (20/225)

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight, prematurity and higher miscarriage rates have previously been reported in women with eating disorders. AIMS: To determine whether women with a history of eating disorders are at higher risk of major adverse perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Adjusted birth weight, preterm delivery and miscarriage history were compared in those with a history of eating disorders (anorexia nervosa (n=171), bulimia nervosa (n=199) and both (n=82)) and those with other (n=1166) and no psychiatric disorders (n=10 636) in a longitudinal cohort study. RESULTS: The group with bulimia nervosa had significantly higher rates of past miscarriages (relative risk ratio 2.0, P=0.01) and the group with anorexia nervosa delivered babies of significantly lower birth weight than the general population (P=0.01), which was mainly explained by lower pre-pregnancy body mass index. Preterm delivery rates were comparable across groups. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a history of eating disorders are at higher risk of major adverse obstetric outcomes. Antenatal services should be aware of this higher risk.  (+info)

Children's descriptions of the foods consumed during loss of control eating episodes. (21/225)

Binge and loss of control (LOC) eating appear to be common among youth; however, little is known about the foods consumed during such eating episodes. Two-hundred forty-nine children, age 6-18 years, were interviewed to determine if they engaged in eating episodes with LOC over the past month. In the absence of reported LOC eating, overeating episodes or normal meals without LOC were recorded. Participants were asked to describe the type and quantity of foods eaten during an episode. Eighty-one children reported LOC eating episodes and 168 reported no such episodes (No LOC). Although total energy intake did not differ between LOC and No LOC episodes, LOC episodes consisted of a lower percentage of calories from protein (14.2+/-0.7 v. 18.0+/-0.7%, p<.001) and a higher percentage from carbohydrates (49.8+/-1.6 v. 45.2+/-1.1%, p<.05). Specifically, LOC episodes consisted of a higher percentage of calories from snacks (13.2+/-2.7 v. 7.4+/-1.2%, p<.05) and desserts (18.1+/-3.1 v. 12.8+/-1.5%, p<.05). The quality of LOC episodes may help explain why LOC eating promotes excessive weight gain among children who report such episodes.  (+info)

The severity and status of eating disorder NOS: implications for DSM-V. (22/225)

"Eating disorder NOS" is the most common eating disorder encountered in outpatient settings yet it has been neglected. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of eating disorder NOS, establish its severity, and determine whether its high relative prevalence might be due to the inclusion of cases closely resembling anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. One hundred and seventy consecutive patients with an eating disorder were assessed using standardised instruments. Operational DSM-IV diagnoses were made and eating disorder NOS cases were compared with bulimia nervosa cases. Diagnostic criteria were then adjusted to determine the impact on the prevalence of eating disorder NOS. Cases of eating disorder NOS comprised 60.0% of the sample. These cases closely resembled the cases of bulimia nervosa in the nature, duration and severity of their psychopathology. Few could be reclassified as cases of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. The findings indicate that eating disorder NOS is common, severe and persistent. Most cases are "mixed" in character and not subthreshold forms of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. It is proposed that in DSM-V the clinical state (or states) currently embraced by the diagnosis eating disorder NOS be reclassified as one or more specific forms of eating disorder.  (+info)

The use of a manual-driven group cognitive behavior therapy in a Brazilian sample of obese individuals with binge-eating disorder. (23/225)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a manual-based cognitive behavior therapy adapted to a group format in a sample of Brazilian obese subjects with binge-eating disorder. METHOD: In an open trial, 21 obese subjects with binge-eating disorder received a group cognitive-behavioral therapy program. Changes in binge-eating frequency, weight, body shape concerns, and depressive symptoms were compared between baseline and the end of the study. RESULTS: The mean frequency of binge-eating episodes significantly decreased from baseline to post-treatment (p < 0.001), with a binge eating remission rate of 76.1% at the end of the trial. Depressive symptoms and body shape concern also improved (p < 0.001). In addition, weight loss was statistically and clinically significant. CONCLUSION: The use of this adapted manual-based cognitive behavior therapy in this sample resulted in a marked improvement in binge-eating, weight, body shape concern, and depressive symptoms related to binge-eating disorder.  (+info)

Patterns of remission, continuation and incidence of broadly defined eating disorders during early pregnancy in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). (24/225)

BACKGROUND: We explored the course of broadly defined eating disorders during pregnancy in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. METHOD: A total of 41,157 pregnant women, enrolled at approximately 18 weeks' gestation, had valid data from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry. We collected questionnaire-based diagnostic information on broadly defined anorexia nervosa (AN), and bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). EDNOS subtypes included binge eating disorder (BED) and recurrent self-induced purging in the absence of binge eating (EDNOS-P). We explored rates of remission, continuation and incidence of BN, BED and EDNOS-P during pregnancy. RESULTS: Prepregnancy prevalence estimates were 0.1% for AN, 0.7% for BN, 3.5% for BED and 0.1% for EDNOS-P. During early pregnancy, estimates were 0.2% (BN), 4.8% (BED) and 0.1% (EDNOS-P). Proportions of individuals remitting during pregnancy were 78% (EDNOS-P), 40% (BN purging), 39% (BED), 34% (BN any type) and 29% (BN non-purging type). Additional individuals with BN achieved partial remission. Incident BN and EDNOS-P during pregnancy were rare. For BED, the incidence rate was 1.1 per 1000 person-weeks, equating to 711 new cases of BED during pregnancy. Incident BED was associated with indices of lower socio-economic status. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy appears to be a catalyst for remission of some eating disorders but also a vulnerability window for the new onset of broadly defined BED, especially in economically disadvantaged individuals. Vigilance by health-care professionals for continuation and emergence of eating disorders in pregnancy is warranted.  (+info)