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Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of eating disorder patients treated in the specialized residential settings in Belgium

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Abstract

Introduction

Epidemiologic information on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in eating disorders in Western European countries are scarce.

Purpose

In this study, we report demographic and clinical characteristics of eating disorder (ED) patients undergoing treatment in five specialized ED centers in Flanders (Belgium).

Method

Data from 642 ED patients were collected by means of a structured questionnaire.

Results

Data show that 93.8% of patients are female, with an average age of 22.6 years. The largest subgroup in our sample suffers from anorexia nervosa, namely 52.8%. Bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED) and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) account for 17.7%, 10.7% and 18.8% of the sample, respectively. Mean age of onset was 17 years. Mean duration of illness was 5.6 years, but 20.2% of patients had their illness for over 8 years. Anorexia nervosa patients of the restricting type (AN-R) have the shortest duration of illness. BED patients stood out because they were older on average, more often in a relationship and more often in ambulatory treatment. 70% of patients over 20 years old completed higher education, but one-third of this group was unemployed and/or disabled. Remarkably, ED patients grow more up in intact families compared to the general population.

Conclusions

Epidemiology of ED patients in treatment in Flanders (Belgium) seems to resemble worldwide findings. The long duration of illness, the common evolution towards chronicity and the early work impairment underline the severe personal and societal impact of ED and call to the need for early detection and treatment of these patients.

Level of evidence

Level V: cross-sectional descriptive study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Psychiatric Center KULeuven, Campus Leuven, Herestraat, 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Johan Vanderlinden, Ronny Bruffaerts, Riccardo Serra, Elke Van Roie, Nelle Janssens & Elske Vrieze

  2. Broeders Alexianen, Liefde straat, 10, 3300, Tienen, Belgium

    Katrien Schoevaerts

  3. Middelheim, ZNA-UKJA, Lindendreef 1, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium

    Annik Simons

  4. Eetkliniek Paika, UZ Brussel-VUB, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Jette, Belgium

    Ursula Van Den Eede

  5. Universitair Ziekenhuis, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Myriam Vervaet

  6. University Psychiatric Center KULeuven, Campus Kortenberg, Leuvense Steenweg 517, 3070, Kortenberg, Belgium

    Johan Vanderlinden

  7. Department of Neurosciences, Center for Public Health Psychiatry, KUleuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Ronny Bruffaerts

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  1. Johan Vanderlinden
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Correspondence to Johan Vanderlinden.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there are no conflicts of interest.

Research involving human participants and/or animals

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee, i.e., the Scientific and Ethical committee of the University Psychiatric Center KULeuven, campus Kortenberg and the Faculty of Psychology of KULeuven and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. In case participants were minors, informed consent was obtained from the parents/legally authorized representative.

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Vanderlinden, J., Schoevaerts, K., Simons, A. et al. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of eating disorder patients treated in the specialized residential settings in Belgium. Eat Weight Disord 26, 475–481 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00867-x

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