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Background factors in anorexia nervosa

A controlled study of 51 teenage cases including a population sample

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Abstract

Fifty-one adolescents with anorexia nervosa and 51 sex-, age- and school-matched comparison cases were psychiatrically and physically examined. Twenty-four of the anorexia cases constituted the total population of anorexia nervosa cases born in 1970. The cases were examined at a mean age of 16 years. The mothers were interviewed in detail concerning hereditary and other family factors, child's early physical and temperamental development, and the family's overall social situation. Medical records pertaining to the pre-, peri- and neonatal periods were analysed blind to diagnosis. Thirty-five of the anorexia cases (69%) had a reasonably plausible background factor which could have contributed to the development of the eating disorder. Similar background factors were encountered in 2 (4%) of the comparison cases. The findings are discussed as they pertain to anorexia nervosa etiology.

Résumé

Cinquante et un adolescents présentent une anorexie mentale et 51 cas témoin appariés suivant le sexe, l'âge et le niveau scolaire subirent un examen psychiatrique et somatique. Vingt quatre des cas de l'échantillon total d'anorexie sont nés en 1970. La moyenne d'âge lors de l'examen était de 16 ans. Il y eut un entretien détaillé avec les mères concernant l'hérédité et d'autres facteurs familiaux, le développement précoce du corps et du tempérament de lénfant et lénsemble de la situation sociale de la famille. Les données médicales des périodes pré, péri et néo-natales furent analysées en aveugle du diagnostic. Trente cinq des cas d'anorexie (69%) présentaient des facteurs d'antécédents ayant pu d'une façon raisonnablement plausible contribuer au développement du trouble alimentaire. Ces facteurs semblables furent retrouvés chez deux des cas témoins (4%). Ces faits sont discutés en tant que jouant un rôle dans l'étiologie de lánorexie mentale.

Zusammenfassung

Es wurden 51 Jugendliche mit Anorexia nervosa und 51 Vergleichsfälle, die nach Geschlecht, Alter und Schultyp parallelisiert waren, psychiatrisch und körperlich untersucht. Vierundzwanzig der Anorexiefälle bildeten die Gesamtpopulation der 1970 geborenen Fälle von Anorexia nervosa. Die Fälle wurden mit einem durchschnittlichen Alter von 16 Jahren untersucht. Die Mütter wurden hinsichtlich Heredität und anderer Familienfaktoren, der frühen körperlichen Entwicklung und Temperamentsentwicklung des Kindes und der allgemeinen sozialen Situation der Familie befragt. Medizinische Krankengeschichten wurden hinsichtlich der prä-, peri- und neonatalen Periode ohne Kenntnis der Diagnose analysiert. Fünfunddreißig der Anorexiefälle (69%) hatten einen genügend plausiblen Hintergrundsfaktor, der zur Entwicklung der Eßstörung beigetragen haben könnte. Vergleichbare Hintergrundfaktoren wurden bei zwei (4%) der Vergleichsfälle gefunden. Die Befunde werden hinsichtlich der Beziehung zur Ätiologie der Anorexia nervosa diskutiert.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry, Child Neuropsychiatry Centre, Annedals Clinics, S-413 45, Göteborg, Sweden

    Christopher Gillberg

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  1. Maria Råstam
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  2. Christopher Gillberg
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Råstam, M., Gillberg, C. Background factors in anorexia nervosa. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 1, 54–65 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02084434

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