Eating Disorders Flashcards
What does the DSM-5’s chapter of feeding and eating disorders entail?
A persistent disturbance in eating or eating-related behaviour that results in the altered consumption or absorption of food and that significantly impairs physical health or psychosocial functioning.
Define anorexia nervosa.
An eating disorder where the individual is significantly underweight and suffers from a fear of gaining weight and body image disturbance.
Who proposed the term anorexia nervosa?
Gull.
Who was the first to provide formal diagnostic criteria for anorexia?
Gerald Russell.
Give Russell’s criteria for anorexia. (3)
Characteristic attitudes and behaviours, the effect on weight, and symptoms of the hormonal disturbance associated with weight loss.
According to the DSM-5, what is the primary characteristic of anorexia?
A relentless pursuit of thinness resulting in weight loss substantially below a normal body weight.
Name the two subtypes of anorexia nervosa.
A restricting and a binge eating/purging type.
How is the binge eating/purging subtypes of anorexia distinct from bulimia?
Patients with bulimia are not underweight.
Define bulimia nervosa.
An eating disorder where an individual engages in recurrent binge eating episodes and compensatory behaviours (like vomiting) designed to prevent weight gain.
What is the Clinician Administered Staging Instrument for Anorexia Nervosa?
An instrument for staging anorexia nervosa based on symptomatic severity.
Name the stages of anorexia as measured by the Clinician Administered Staging Instrument for Anorexia Nervosa. (4)
Stage 1 (mild illness pathology, stage 2 (moderate illness pathology), stage 3 (moderate-severe illness pathology), and stage 4 (extremely severe illness pathology).
What is a binge-eating episode?
An instance of disordered eating characterised by eating an excessive amount of food, accompanied by a sense of lack of control over eating.
Define binge-eating disorder.
An eating disorder where an individual engages in recurrent binge eating episodes but does not engage in compensatory behaviours designed to counteract the calorie intake.
Who recognised binge eating disorder?
Spitzer.
Give the diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder. (8)
Binge eating episodes at least once weekly for three months, but not regularly engaging in inappropriate weight-control behaviours characteristic of bulimia, distress, and three of the following: eating faster than normal, eating until uncomfortably full, eating when not hungry, eating alone because of embarrassment, or feeling disgusted, guilty or depressed after eating.
What is avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder?
A syndrome of children with autistic spectrum disorders and adults with swallowing or food phobias.
Give the characteristics of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. (5)
Persistent eating disturbance so that nutritional needs are not met, underweight, deficiency in essential nutrients, dependence on enteral nutrition or medically prescribed oral supplementary feeding, and impairment in psychosocial functioning.
Name the DSM-5’s residual categories for disturbances that do not fully meet the criteria for specified eating disorders.
Other specified feeding or eating disorder, and unspecified feeding or eating disorder.
Name the five other specified feeding or eating disorder types described by the DSM-5.
Atypical anorexia, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder of low frequency and/or duration, purging disorder, and night-eating syndrome.
Define atypical anorexia nervosa.
All criteria are met for anorexia, except low weight.
Define purging disorder.
Purging behaviours in the absence of binge eating.
Define night-eating syndrome.
Excessive eating after the evening meal or eating at night after awakening from sleep.
When is the unspecified feeding or eating disorder category used?
When the feeding or eating disorder causes significant distress and impaired psychosocial functioning but there is insufficient information to specify the type of disorder.
What is pica?
The eating of one or more non-food substances on a persistent basis for at least one month.
What is rumination disorder?
The repeated regurgitation of food which may be chewed, swallowed, or spat out for a period of at least one month.
Give the DSM-5’s diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. (5)
Significantly underweight, fear of weight gain or engaging in behaviours to prevent weight gain, body image disturbance, including self-worth being excessively influenced by weight, and a lack of concern for seriousness of weight.
Give the DSM-5’s diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa.
Binge eating episodes, inappropriate weight control behaviours, self-worth is excessively influenced by weight, and binge-eating and weight control behaviours need to occur at least once a week for three months, and cannot occur at the same time as anorexia.
What can avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder not be explained by?
Cultural practices, another eating disorder, body image disturbance, and another medical or mental health condition.
Anorexia nervosa affects mainly:
Adolescent girls and young women.
How many times more common is anorexia in women than men?
10 times.
What is the mortality rate for anorexia nervosa?
5-10% of patients.
What are most deaths related to anorexia nervosa attributed to?
Suicide or the medical complications of starvation.
What percent of patients with anorexia go on to develop bulimia?
50%.
Give the psychological effects of starvation.
Severe depression, mood swings, irritability and outbursts of anger, compulsive behaviours, self-harming behaviours, obsessional thoughts of food and eating, hoarding food, changes in eating habits, and serious binge eating.
What are amphetamines?
Stimulant drugs that can produce symptoms of euphoria, self-confidence, alertness, agitation, paranoia, perceptual illusions and depression.
Name four disorders that are commonly comorbid with anorexia.
Substance abuse, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders.
How does anorexia affect the face and skin? (5)
Parotid and salivary gland enlargement from vomiting, dental decay, brittle hair, loss of hair, or a covering of downy hair over the body, pale skin from anaemia, and calluses on the backs of fingers from inducing vomiting.
How does anorexia affect bones and joints? (3)
Ankle swelling from fluid rebound after dehydration, osteopenia and fractures, and muscle weakness.
How does anorexia affect the endocrine system? (5)
Low sex steroid hormones, leading to absent periods, decreased libido and low testosterone, altered thyroid hormone metabolism, low blood glucose, and increased cortisol and growth hormone.
How does anorexia affect fluid and electrolyte levels? (4)
Dehydration, low potassium, low phosphate, and kidney failure.
How does anorexia affect the heart? (3)
Slow or irregular heartbeat, heart failure, or a small, weak heart.
How does anorexia affect the immune system? (2)
Low white cell count, and susceptibility to overwhelming bacterial infection.
How does anorexia affect the reproductive system? (4)
Increased risk of miscarriage, premature delivery and death of baby, and a low-weight baby with increased risk of malformations.
How does anorexia affect the gastric system?
Low levels of essential nutrients, inflammation of the pancreas, slow stomach emptying, constipation, diarrhoea, inflammation, tearing, scarring and ulceration of the oesophagus, stomach rupture, and liver inflammation.
What family predisposition is common in people with anorexia nervosa? (3)
Leanness, obsessive-compulsive disorder and mood disorders.
What is reduced serotonin activity associated with?
Increased appetite and decreased impulse control.
How may high levels of serotonin contribute to anorexia? (2)
By promoting over control and under-eating.
What did Bruch describe anorexia as?
A desperate struggle for a self-respecting identity.
How may negative affect contribute to the development of anorexia?
The individual may avoid distress by refocusing attention only on eating, shape and weight rather than broader life concerns.