Journal article
Is there a basis for a weight cut-off point? A large-scale investigation of atypical anorexia and anorexia nervosa subtypes among patients at a residential treatment centre
European eating disorders review
21 Feb 2024
PMID: 38383957
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
There is debate surrounding how to differentiate between anorexia nervosa (AN) and atypical AN (atypAN) as diagnostic entities, and whether a distinction based on BMI is warranted. Better understanding eating disorder (ED) and emotional symptoms across atypAN and AN subtypes [AN-restricting (AN-R), AN-binge/purge (AN-BP)], with and without controlling for BMI, can elucidate how atypAN differs from AN subtypes and whether there is a basis for a BMI cut-off.
1810 female patients at an ED treatment centre completed intake surveys. ANCOVAs assessed differences across AN-R (n = 853), AN-BP (n = 726), and atypAN (n = 231) groups on ED, depressive, and anxiety symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness, with and without controlling for BMI.
Relative to AN-R, atypAN and AN-BP groups endorsed significantly higher ED and depressive symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, experiential avoidance, and significantly lower mindfulness (all p < 0.001), but atypAN and AN-BP groups did not differ from one another. When controlling for BMI, all previously significant differences between atypAN and AN-R did not remain significant.
Individuals with atypAN who have a higher BMI experience more pronounced ED and emotional symptoms, suggesting that relying solely on BMI as a marker of illness severity may be problematic.
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Details
- Title
- Is there a basis for a weight cut-off point? A large-scale investigation of atypical anorexia and anorexia nervosa subtypes among patients at a residential treatment centre
- Creators
- Valerie Z Wong - Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyMichael R Lowe - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- European eating disorders review
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001173652800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85186429708
- Other Identifier
- 991021856014404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
- Psychology, Clinical