pica and Bulimia

Eating disorders in early childhood increase the risk of anorexia or bulimia nervosa in adolescents. In the case of babies feeding disorders and pica are differentiated. Eating disorders in pre-school and primary school age are common. A main cause is neophobia, which can be treated by the observance of certain rules at meal-times (taken together with the family). Anorexia and bulimia affect mainly adolescents. Anorexia is associated with a number of mental and somatic comorbidities that need to be considered for the diagnosis and treatment.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Anorexia Nervosa; Body Mass Index; Bulimia; Child; Child, Preschool; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Feeding and Eating Disorders of Childhood; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Parent-Child Relations; Pica; Sex Factors

Objective To evaluate aspects of eating behavior, presence of non-food substance consumption and negative urgency in women from an on-line support group for eating disorders. Methods Participants (n=147) completed questionnaires for binge eating assessment, Intuitive Eating, negative urgency, cognitive restraint and a question of non-food substance consumption. Participants were separated according to criteria for bulimic symptoms and compulsive symptoms. Results The consumption of non-food substances was 4.8% (n=7). The Bulimic Group (n=61) showed higher values for binge eating (p=0.01), cognitive restraint (p=0.01) and negative urgency (p=0.01) compared with the Compulsive Group (n=86). Only the Compulsive Group showed an inverse correlation between scores for binge eating and Intuitive Eating (p=0.01). In both groups, binge eating was inversely correlated with the subscale of body-food choice congruence of Intuitive Eating scale. As expected, the Bulimic Group reached higher values for measures of disordered behaviors such as cognitive restraint and binge eating, and lower scores for Intuitive Eating. Conclusion The aspects of Intuitive Eating are inversely associated with compulsive and bulimic symptoms and the correlation analyses for binge eating and negative urgency agreed with models reported in published literature about negative urgency.

Topics: Binge-Eating Disorder; Bulimia; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Impulsive Behavior; Pica; Surveys and Questionnaires

Topics: Anorexia Nervosa; Behavior Therapy; Bulimia; Dentistry; Humans; Pica

This paper presents the case of a 29 year old woman who compulsively ate rocks and pebbles, a habit developed in childhood. Extensive psychometric testing did not demonstrate phobias, obsessions, tendency to increased anxiety, depression or anorexic or bulimic disorder. The development of pica is partially explained by a childhood eating disorder, obsessive personality traits, cultural factors and specific (personality induced) stresses. Stress-reducing measures were successful in eliminating the eating disorder.

Topics: Adult; Behavior Therapy; Bulimia; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Food Preferences; Humans; Life Style; Personality Development; Personality Tests; Pica