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Anorexia nervosa versus bulimia nervosa: differences based on retrospective correlates in a case–control study

Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity volume 21, pages 185–197 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

This study is the result of two Portuguese case–control studies that examined the replication of retrospective correlates and preceding life events in anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) development. This study aims to identify retrospective correlates that distinguish AN and BN

Method

A case–control design was used to compare a group of women who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for AN (N = 98) and BN (N = 79) with healthy controls (N = 86) and with other psychiatric disorders (N = 68). Each control group was matched with AN patients regarding age and parental social categories. Risk factors were assessed by interviewing each person with the Oxford Risk Factor Interview.

Results

Compared to AN, women with BN reported significantly higher rates of paternal high expectations, excessive family importance placed on fitness/keeping in shape, and negative consequences due to adolescent overweight and adolescent objective overweight.

Discussion

Overweight during adolescence emerged as the most relevant retrospective correlate in the distinction between BN and AN participants. Family expectations and the importance placed on keeping in shape were also significant retrospective correlates in the BN group.

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Acknowledgments

This research was partially supported by a Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Foundation for Science and Technology research grant to the last author (PTDC/PSI-PCL/099981/2008) and a doctoral grant to the first author (FCT-SFRH/BD/22038/2005). The authors acknowledge Christopher G. Fairburn, MD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University (UK) for providing initial consultation and training and Helen A. Doll, PhD, for help with the initial data analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education and Psychology, Catholic University of Portugal, Rua Diogo Botelho, 1327, 4169-005, Porto, Portugal

    Bárbara C. Machado

  2. Psychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit–CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, P-4710, Braga, Portugal

    Bárbara C. Machado, Sónia F. Gonçalves, Carla Martins & Paulo P. Machado

  3. Psychiatry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital of S. João, Braga, Portugal

    Isabel Brandão & António Roma-Torres

  4. Parnassia Bavo Academy, Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Hans W. Hoek

  5. Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Hans W. Hoek

  6. Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Hans W. Hoek

Authors
  1. Bárbara C. Machado
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  2. Sónia F. Gonçalves
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  3. Carla Martins
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  4. Isabel Brandão
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  6. Hans W. Hoek
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  7. Paulo P. Machado
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Bárbara C. Machado or Paulo P. Machado.

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Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical standard

This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board and conformed to both Portuguese and European regulations on conducting research with human participants and on the management of personal data.

Informed consent

All participants gave written informed consent, and in the case of minors, child assent and parental consent for research participation were obtained.

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Machado, B.C., Gonçalves, S.F., Martins, C. et al. Anorexia nervosa versus bulimia nervosa: differences based on retrospective correlates in a case–control study. Eat Weight Disord 21, 185–197 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-015-0236-6

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