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Consider previous, current weight as factors of anorexia severity

Researchers from Drexel University have demonstrated that body weight, both historical and current, contributes to symptoms and treatment outcomes among patients with anorexia nervosa. According to researcher Michael R. Lowe, PhD, these findings fundamentally change the current mode of thinking that the problem is mainly psychological or emotional.

"The focus of eating disorder research has very much been on the state of patients' thoughts, beliefs, emotions and personalities," Lowe, who is professor in the department of psychology at Drexel University, and a consultant at The Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders, said in a press release. "And while these mental influences are undoubtedly part of the problem, historically there has been very little focus on how their current and past body weights contribute to their eating disorder."

Michael R. Lowe

Lowe and colleagues included 350 women with anorexia nervosa admitted to a residential treatment facility between July 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2008. They examined weight suppression — the difference between highest historical weight and current body weight — and BMI and how the two interact as cross-sectional and prospective predictors of psychological symptoms and weight, according to the study.

Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and Eating Disorder Inventory-3 upon admission and discharge (n=238).

There was a statistically significant but small relationship between weight suppression and BMI (r=–.22; P<.001), according to researchers.

At admission, there was a positive association between BMI and all eating disorder symptom measures except restraint and depression scores. Similarly, weight concern and body dissatisfaction were the only subscale scores not positively linked to weight suppression.

Upon discharge, post-treatment psychopathology was consistently predicted by the interaction between weight suppression and BMI at admission. Moreover, after controlling for weight gain in treatment and age, discharge scores were lower when those with lower BMI had higher admission weight suppression. Likewise, higher discharge scores were recorded when those with higher BMI had higher weight suppression.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.