1) Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) have deficient socia
support networks. They report less practical and actual support, and set low ideals for
support. Social support fails to show any relation with duration of illness. Patients with
anorexia nervosa show greater deficits in the size of their social networks. The former are
less likely to have spouse - or partner - support than the latter.
2) Controlled studies on eating disorders reveal the comparative effectiveness of assessment
and treatment programs for body image problems. The assessment measures are
inconsistent and restricted to assessing body dissatisfaction. The Eating Disorder Inventory
and the Eating Attitude Test are the most frequently used assessment measures. Cognitive
behavioral intervention for bulimia nervosa leads to modest improvement in body image, and
is more effective than pharmacotherapy. There is a lack of controlled studies on body image
treatment in binge-eating disorder and anorexia nervosa.
3) Documentation of eating behavior in a naturalistic setting reveals that multidisciplinary
treatment improves eating behavior in eating disordered patients. Treatment leads to
increased energy and fat content intake in patients with anorexia nervosa of restrictive
subtype and bulimia nervosa patients. Pre-treatment low hunger and decreased satiety levels
get normalized after treatment. There are only nonsignificant changes in anorexia nervosa of
bulimia subtype.
4) Women with eating disorders appear to use laxatives for three different
psychopathological reasons. One group of abusers constitues individuals with rigid views
who use laxatives to relieve tension and fear retaining food in their bodies. Another group
that comprises anorexia nervosa patients uses laxatives to draw attention to their disorder.
The third group constitutes bulimia nervosa patients with a history of sexual abuse. The
history of the use of laxatives is unrelated to factors such as body weight or age, history of
stealing, and interpersonal distrust.
5) Women with bulimia nervosa engage more frequently in sexual intercourse than women
suffering from anorexia nervosa. The level of restriction of caloric consumption is inversely
related to the experience of masturbation and sexual satisfaction, especially for anorexic
women. However, bulimic women's sexual interest is greater and the age of first coitus is
lower than anorexics. Anorexic women tend to refrain from sexual activity, indulge in
excessive exercise, and limit their food intake. Bulimic women usually are both anxious and
interested in sexual activity.
6) A study was conducted to identify differences in food preferences between normal and
eating disordered patients. The results showed that eating disordered patients preferred to
eat high-calorie foods while normal subjects had an equal preference for both high- and low-
calorie foods. Moreover, eating disordered patients tended to have certain food preferences
but were less likely to have the desire to eat such foods. The results suggest that a
psychological component has replaced the sense of taste in influencing desire to eat among
eating disordered patients.
7) Spine bone mineral density (BMD) is less in white female patients suffering from anorexia
nervosa due to food restriction and anorexia nervosa with bulimic nature as compared to the
control females or white females with bulimia nervosa. Some eating disorder subgroups, and
control group and eating disorder subgroups have varying spinal BMD. Good predictors of
spinal bone density in anorectic women were duration of amenorrhea and exercise.
Anorectic women left without treatment may develop osteoporosis in old age.
8) Between 2% and 18% of the US population have either bulimia nervosa or anorexia
nervosa. The conditions are defined, and early warning signs are described. The types of
people at highest risk, screening techniques and appropriate diagnostic workups are also
discussed.
9) Eating disorders can be successfully treated if intervention occurs early. A treatment
program should include cognitive, behavioral, nutritional and pharmacological elements. The
highest priority is to treat the complications of near-starvation.
10) The two major eating disorders, anorexia and bulima affect two million girls and 0.5
million boys ages 12-18. Many young people overreact to societal pressures to be thin, often
taking drugs to speed the reducing process.
11) Models developed to analyze eating disorders reveal that personality traits are influenced
by concern about weight and certain specific symptoms such as purging and bingeing.
Individuals subject to bulimia nervosa are less consistent in nature with instability and
impulsivity. Personality data analysis is also complicated due to the effects of variables such
as depression, starvation sequelae, distortion in self-reports and persistence of residual
problems.
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