Eating disorders

Question 1

What are the four main eating disorder diagnoses?

Answer 1

Anorexia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa
Other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED)
Binge eating disorder

Question 2

What do eating disorders have in common?

Answer 2

• behaviour around food
• core beliefs and associated concerns
• levels of distress

Question 3

What are the diagnostic features of anorexia nervosa?

Answer 3

-active maintenance of low body weight

Question 4

What are the characteristics of anorexia nervosa?

Answer 4

Age at onset: peaks at 15 & 18 years

Prevalence: 0.5% girls aged 15-18

Sex ratio: 95% female

Impairment: severe physiological and psychological effects all organ systems - starvation

Question 5

What are the diagnostic features of bulimia nervosa?

Answer 5

Recurrent binge eating - large amounts quickly, loss of control
Compensatory behaviour - vomiting, laxatives, fasting, exercise
Extreme shape & weight concern
Binge frequency (1/wk for 3 months)
Not anorexia nervosa

Question 6

What are the characteristics of bulimia nervosa?

Answer 6

Age at onset: late adolescence, young adult

Prevalence: 1-3% girls aged 18-25.

Sex ratio: 95% female

Impairment: complications of purging, severe psychological effects

Question 7

What are the diagnostic features of binge eating disorder?

Answer 7

Recurrent binge eating
Large amounts quickly, loss of control
Features of binge episodes (to distinguish from overeating)
Marked distress regarding binge eating
No compensatory behaviour
Binge frequency (1/wk for 3 months)
Not bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa

Question 8

What are the characteristics of OSFED?

Answer 8

Criteria not met e.g. anorexia nervosa
(above 85% body weight), bulimia nervosa (less frequent binge episodes)

Disordered eating characterized by restriction or by binge eating

Question 9

What are ‘carriers’ in the socio-cultural model of eating disorders?

Answer 9

Media
Peers
Family

Question 10

What are ‘mediators’ in the socio-cultural model of eating disorders?

Answer 10

Self esteem

Body weight

Question 11

What are specific risk factors for EDs?

Answer 11

Body dissatisfaction risk factors - contextual/physical/developmental
eg negative body image, weight preoccupation, dieting

Question 12

What are non-specific risk factors for EDs?

Answer 12

Self-regulatory risk factors - parental psychopathology or insensitivity/trauma/biological or temperamental predispositions
eg low self-esteem, affective dysregulation, insecure attatchment