Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Eating Disorders

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Psychiatry and Sexual Medicine

  • 1052 Accesses

Abstract

Eating disorders are severe conditions that especially affect younger women. There is a high degree of sexual problems in persons with eating disorders, and sexual problems and eating disorders share many risk factors. Sexual dysfunctions can be classified into desire, arousal, orgasm, and pain problems that cause distress, but problems with intimacy and fewer sexual contacts may also impair sexual life. The present chapter will focus on shared risk factors for eating disorders and sexual problems, i.e., depression, anxiety, disturbed body image, and sexual abuse. It will describe how eating disorders can interfere with puberty and cause hormonal changes that may impair sexual function. Most data available are on women with eating disorders, but when available data on men will be presented. Furthermore, it will describe how sexual orientation and gender identity can influence eating patterns and how to work with sexual problems in persons with an eating disorder.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. www.icd.who.int

  2. Galmiche M, Dechelotte P, Lambert G, et al. Prevalence of eating disorders over the 2000–2018 period: a systematic literature review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;109:1402–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kamody RC, Grilo CM, Udo T. Disparities in DSM-5 defined eating disorders by sexual orientation among U.S. adults. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53:278–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Jacobi C, Hayward C, de Zwaan M, et al. Coming to terms with risk factors for eating disorders: application of risk terminology and suggestions for general taxonomy. Psychol Bull. 2004;130:19–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Striegel-Moore RH, Bulik CM. Risk factors for eating disorders. Am Psychol. 2007;62:181–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Castellini G, Lelli L, Ricca V, et al. Sexuality in eating disorders patients: etiological factors, sexual dysfunction and identity issues. A systematic review. Horm Mol Biol Clin Invest. 2016;25:71–90.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kluck AS, Garos S, Shaw L. Sexual functioning and disordered eating: a new perspective. Bull Menn Clin. 2018;82:71–93.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Price T, Zebitz M, Giraldi A et al. Sexual function and dysfunction among women with Anorexia Nervosa: a systematic Scoping review. Int J Eat Disord. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23299.

  9. Dunkley CR, Svatko Y, Brotto LA. Eating disorders and sexual function reviewed: a trans-diagnostic, dimensional perspective. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2020;12:1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Castellini G, Lelli L, Cassioli E, et al. Relationships between eating disorder psychopathology, sexual hormones and sexual behaviours. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2019;110429:497.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Pinheiro AP, Raney TJ, Thornton LM, et al. Sexual functioning in women with eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2010;43:123–9.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Castellini G, Lelli L, Lo Sauro C, et al. Anorectic and bulimic patients suffer from relevant sexual dysfunctions. J Sex Med. 2012;9:2590–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Dunkley CR, Gorzalka BB, Brotto LA. Associations between sexual function and disordered eating among undergraduate women: an emphasis on sexual pain and distress. J Sex Marital Ther. 2020;46:18–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Fichter MM, Quadflieg N, Hedlund S. Twelve-year course and outcome predictors of anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2006;39:87–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Eckert ED, Halmi KA, Marchi P, et al. Ten-year follow-up on anorexia nervosa. Clinical course and outcome. Psychol Med. 1995;25:143–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Castellini G, Lelli L, Corsi E, et al. Role of sexuality in the outcome of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: a 3-year follow-up study. Psychther Psychosom. 2017;86:376–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Schmidt U, Evans K, Tille J, et al. Puberty, sexual milestones and abuse: how are they related in eating disorder patients? Psychol Med. 1995;25:413–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Raboch J, Faltus F. Sexuality of women with anorexia nervosa. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1991l;84:9–11.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tuiten A, Panhuysen G, Everaerd W, et al. The paradoxical nature of sexuality in anorexia nervosa. J Sex Marital Ther. 1993;19:259–75.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Castellini G, Mannucci E, Mazzei C, et al. Sexual function in obese women with and without binge eating disorder. J Sex Med. 2010;7:3969–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ackard DM, Kearny-Cooke A, Peterson CB. Effect of body image and self-image on women’s sexual behaviors. Int J Eat Disord. 2000;28:422–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Tolosa-Sola I, Gunnard K, Muniesa CG, et al. Body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptomatology: which factors interfere with sexuality in women with eating disorders? J Health Psychol. 2019;24:1526–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Castellini G, Lo Sauro C, Ricca V, et al. Body esteem as a common factor of a tendency towards binge eating and sexual dissatisfaction among women. The role of dissociation and stress response during sex. J Sex Med. 2017;14:1036–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Chen LP, Murad MH, Paras ML, et al. Sexual abuse and lifetime diagnosis of psychiatric disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010;85:618–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Sanci L, Coffey C, Olsson C, et al. Childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders in females: findings from the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162:261–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Castellini G, Lelli L, Cassioli E, et al. Different outcomes, psychopathological features and comorbidities in patients with eating disorders reporting childhood abuse: a 3 year follow-up study. Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2018;26(3):217–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Lau M, Kristensen E. Sexual revictimization in a clinical sample of women reporting childhood sexual abuse. Nord J Psychiatry. 2010;64:4–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. O’Driscoll C, Flanagan E. Sexual problems and post-traumatic stress disorder following sexual trauma: a meta-analytic review. Psychol Psychother. 2016;89:351–67. Review

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Feldman MB, Meyer IH. Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations. Int J Eat Disord. 2007;40(3):218–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Gigi I, Bachner-Melman R, Lev-Ari L. The association between sexual orientation, susceptibility to social messages and disordered eating in men. Appetite. 2016;99:25–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Calzo JP, Masyn KE, Corliss HL, et al. Patterns of body image concerns and disorders weight- and shape-related behaviors in heterosexual and sexual minority adolescent males. Dev Psychol. 2015;51:1216–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Bandini E, Fisher AD, Castellini G, et al. Gender identity disorder and eating disorders: similarities and differences in terms of body uneasiness. J Sex Med. 2013;10:1012–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Vocks S, Stahn C, Loenser K, et al. Eating and body image disturbances in male-to-female and female-to-male transsexuals. Arch Sex Behav. 2009;38(3):364–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sexological Clinic, Psychiatric Center Copenhagen and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Annamaria Giraldi

  2. Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Birte Smidt

Authors
  1. Annamaria Giraldi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Birte Smidt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Annamaria Giraldi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland

    Michal Lew-Starowicz

  2. Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Sexological Clinic, Rigshospitalet, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Annamaria Giraldi

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section of Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

    Tillmann H. C. Krüger

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Giraldi, A., Smidt, B. (2021). Eating Disorders. In: Lew-Starowicz, M., Giraldi, A., Krüger, T. (eds) Psychiatry and Sexual Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52298-8_19

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52298-8_19

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-52297-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-52298-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation