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Food avoidance in anorexia nervosa: associated and predicting factors
L Di Lodovico1,2, C Vansteene1,2, D Poupon1
1GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Clinic of Mental Illnesses and Brain Disorders, 75014, Paris, France.
Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD
|February 23, 2023
Summary
Food avoidance in anorexia nervosa (AN) links to illness severity, anxiety, and mood. Reducing anxiety and negative feelings may help restore diet diversity during AN treatment.
Area of Science:
- Eating disorders research
- Clinical psychology
- Nutritional psychiatry
Background:
- Qualitative food avoidance is a key challenge in anorexia nervosa (AN) treatment.
- Restoring dietary variety is crucial for recovery in AN patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify clinical factors driving food avoidance in AN.
- Predict the persistence of food avoidance during AN treatment.
Main Methods:
- 130 female AN outpatients assessed pre- and post-4 months of specialized care.
- Evaluated food avoidance, BMI, eating disorder severity, depression, anxiety, mood, functioning, and body image.
- Longitudinal, multicentre study (Level III evidence).
Main Results:
- Food avoidance correlated with AN severity, anxiety, mood, BMI, and body image perceptions.
- Younger age at onset predicted continued food avoidance post-treatment.
- Anxiety and negative affect appeared to be primary drivers of food avoidance.
Conclusions:
- Qualitative food avoidance can signify AN illness severity.
- Targeting anxiety and negative affect may indirectly reduce food avoidance and improve diet diversity in AN treatment.
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