title: Homogamy: the relationships and sexual partners of normal-weight bulimic women.
abstract: This study reports the demography, weight, and alcohol and psychiatric histories of the sexual partners of 112 consecutive patients with bulimia nervosa, all from an urban catchment area. Seventy-three patients (65%) had a current sexual partner. The partners were of similar social background, but slightly older. On average, partners were overweight (110% of MMPW) and over 27% reported having an eating or weight problem. A quarter of the partners had been treated for a psychiatric or emotional disorder. Nearly 40% drank more than 36 units of alcohol a week, and 14% had received treatment or consulted a doctor for alcohol-related problems. Heavy-drinking partners and multi-impulsive bulimics sought out each other. A quarter of partners had themselves been raised in a nuclear family in which a member had received psychiatric treatment; 12% had had a mother or sister with an eating disorder. Thirty-seven per cent of patients used a 'safe man', their fear of being hurt stemming from low self-esteem and a general sense of 'failure', and for 11% the relationship was abusive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, London.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lacey
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D001835:Body Weight; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D010553:Personality Development; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology