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Weight suppression predicts total weight gain and rate of weight gain in outpatients with anorexia nervosa
Author(s) -
Carter Frances A.,
Boden Joseph M.,
Jordan Jennifer,
McIntosh Virginia V.W.,
Bulik Cynthia M.,
Joyce Peter R.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.22425
Subject(s) - weight gain , anorexia nervosa , psychology , eating disorders , weight loss , bulimia nervosa , binge eating , anorexia , psychiatry , body weight , medicine , obesity
Objective The present study sought to replicate the finding of Wildes and Marcus, Behav Res Ther, 50, 266–274, 2012 that higher levels of weight suppression at pretreatment predict greater total weight gain, faster rate of weight gain, and bulimic symptoms amongst patients admitted with anorexia nervosa. Method Participants were 56 women with anorexia nervosa diagnosed by using strict or lenient weight criteria, who were participating in a randomized controlled psychotherapy trial (McIntosh et al., Am J Psychiatry, 162, 741–747, 2005). Thirty‐five women completed outpatient treatment and post‐treatment assessment. Weight suppression was the discrepancy between highest lifetime weight at adult height and weight at pretreatment assessment. Outcome variables were total weight gain, rate of weight gain, and bulimic symptoms in the month prior to post‐treatment assessment [assessed using the Eating Disorders Examination (Fairburn et al., Binge‐Eating: Nature, Assessment and Treatment. New York: Guilford, 1993)]. Results Weight suppression was positively associated with total weight gain and rate of weight gain over treatment. Regression models showed that this association could not be explained by covariates (age at onset of anorexia nervosa and treatment modality). Weight suppression was not significantly associated with bulimic symptoms in the month prior to post‐treatment assessment, regardless of whether bulimic symptoms were examined as continuous or dichotomous variables. Discussion The present study reinforces the previous finding that weight suppression predicts total weight gain and rate of weight gain amongst patients being treated for anorexia nervosa. Methodological issues may explain the failure of the present study to find that weight suppression predicts bulimic symptoms. Weight suppression at pretreatment for anorexia nervosa should be assessed routinely and may inform treatment planning. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:912–918).