Short Communication
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59, 459–462. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602095 Published online 19 January 2005
Characteristics of eating disorders in a university hospital-based Spanish population
Guarantors: A Rodríguez Martín and JP Novalbos Ruiz.
Contributors: All authors were responsible for planning the study. All authors contributed to statistical analysis and writing of the paper.
A Rodríguez Martín1, J P Novalbos Ruiz1, J M Martinez Nieto1, L Escobar Jiménez2 and A L Castro de Haro1
- 1Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Cádiz, Spain
- 2Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition Service, University Hospital 'Puerta del Mar', Cádiz, Spain
Correspondence: A Rodríguez Martín, Area de Salud Pública, Escuela de Enfermería y Fisioterapia, Avda. Duque de Nájera 18, 11002 Cádiz, España, Spain. E-mail: amelia.rodriguez@uca.es
Received 14 January 2004; Revised 25 May 2004; Accepted 11 October 2004; Published online 19 January 2005.
Abstract
Objective:
To describe the personal and family antecedents and clinical characteristics of patients with eating disorders (EDs) in a population of the south of Spain; to analyse the influence of lifestyles, family functioning, socioeconomic status (SES), and psychological characteristics in these processes.
Design:
A university-based case–control study.
Setting:
University Hospital (Andalusia, Spain).
Subjects:
A total of 120 patients with EDs and 240 controls.
Interventions:
SCOFF, EDI, APGAR family, and SES questionnaires.
Results:
In all, 67.5% of patients presented anorexia (AN), 15% bulimia (BN), and 17.5% mixed forms. EDs emerged at around 18–20 y (95% CI 17.9–19.8). Factors associated with EDs are psychiatric conditions (depression OR: 4.16, anxiety OR: 4.59), more frequent use of medication (OR: 2.26), dietary fibre (OR: 2.59), and laxatives (OR: 3.47). Toxics consumption, sport activity, SES, and family antecedents of pathology are not associated with EDs. An inverse relationship was found between family functioning and the scores in various subscales of the EDI.
Conclusions:
Eating disorders in Andalusia (Spain) are influenced significantly more by psychological, family, and cultural factors than by social factors.
Keywords:
anorexia, bulimia, epidemiology
