Micro- and macroanalyses of patterns within a meal in anorexia and bulimia nervosa

Hospitalized women with anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia nervosa and dietarily restrained and unrestrained, clinically normal women were provided with a multi-item breakfast meal. Eating patterns and hunger and satiety ratings were assessed. Subjects were offered three foods which varied in fat and carbohydrate contents. Anorectic-restrictors differed most from the control subjects: they had a longer meal duration, a slower overall rate of eating, more frequent pauses during the meal, and more short bouts of eating. They also displayed abnormal ratings of hunger and satiety: they were generally less hungry, had less urge to eat, and were more full than controls of bulimics. Both anorectic and bulimic patients showed more variability in total energy intake than did the controls. Patients usually displayed one of two patterns - either severe restriction or overeating. Abnormal hunger and satiety patterns indicating confusion typified the responses of bulimics; additionally, they showed more urge to eat in the post-meal period than did the controls. A higher proportion of fat in the initial part of the breakfast was related to a larger meal size for the bulimics. It is suggested that these techniques may be useful in evaluating the outcome of treatment for eating disorder patients.