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Salinophagia in anorexia nervosa: case reports
John F Morgan1, Patience Ahene, J Hubert Lacey
1Yorkshire Centre for Eating Disorders, Leeds Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds, United Kingdom. jmorgan@sgul.ac.uk
The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|March 25, 2009
Summary
Pathological salt ingestion, termed salinophagia, is reported in two anorexia nervosa patients. This behavior aimed to make food unpalatable, complicating nutritional rehabilitation and sometimes spreading to other patients.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Eating Disorders
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Anorexia nervosa is a severe psychiatric disorder characterized by restricted eating and distorted body image.
- The purging subtype involves recurrent episodes of self-induced vomiting or laxative misuse.
- Nutritional rehabilitation is a critical component of inpatient treatment for severe anorexia nervosa.
Observation:
- Two cases of pathological salt ingestion, termed "salinophagia," are presented in young women with severe anorexia nervosa.
- This behavior occurred during inpatient nutritional rehabilitation programs.
- Salinophagia was motivated by a desire to spoil food and remove any pleasure from eating.
Findings:
- Salinophagia can be a feature of anorexia nervosa, particularly the purging subtype.
- The behavior may be imitated by other patients, indicating a potential for social contagion within treatment settings.
- Correspondence suggests salinophagia is not an isolated phenomenon, with other specialists reporting similar observations.
Implications:
- Understanding salinophagia is crucial for effective nutritional rehabilitation in anorexia nervosa.
- Further research into the phenomenology and treatment of salinophagia is warranted.
- Clinicians should be aware of this behavior as a potential complication in treating patients with anorexia nervosa.
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