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Early onset bulimia nervosa: who is at risk? A retrospective case–control study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Ulrike Schmidt ,
Matthew Hodes  and
Janet Treasure
Ulrike Schmidt*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
Matthew Hodes
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
Janet Treasure
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr U. Schmidt, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF.
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Synopsis

The aim of the study was to compare the clinical features and predisposing characteristics of patients with an early onset of bulimia nervosa with those with a more typical onset. Twenty-three cases of early onset bulimia nervosa (onset age 15 or below) were compared with 23 sex- and class-matched cases of typical onset (onset age 17 to 21) using a retrospective case–control design. No difference was found in eating symptomatology between the two groups. Deliberate self-harm was more frequent in the early onset group, and there was a trend towards more depression among their relatives. Inadequate parental control occurred more often in the early onset group, but other indicators of intrafamilial disturbance did not differ in the two groups. There was also a trend for the early onset group to be exposed to more cultural stress as a result of family migration. Early onset patients were found to have a higher loading on risk factors than typical onset patients.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , August 1992 , pp. 623 - 628
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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References

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