Food cravings in women with a history of anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of food cravings in women with a history of anorexia nervosa.


METHODS
One hundred one control women selected at random and 64 women with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa 10 to 14 years earlier (cases) completed the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies, a food craving questionnaire, the Temperament and Character Inventory and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire.


RESULTS
A similar proportion of cases and controls reported food cravings. A greater proportion of cases reported strong cravings with two or more features of intensity (p = .02). Cravings in the cases were more likely to be characterized by difficulty resisting the craved food (p = .0008), anxiety when the craved food was unavailable (p = .002), and a high frequency of occurrence (p = .001). The cases who craved were significantly more likely to have had lifetime BN (p = .02).


CONCLUSIONS
A similar prevalence of food craving in cases as in controls suggests that successful control of food intake and/or denial of hunger overrides dietary restriction as a precondition for craving in anorexia nervosa. A dysfunction in the serotonergic system, the provision of intermittent reinforcement by binge episodes, and/or frustration due to unsuccessful attempts at dietary restraint may mediate the association of cravings with the presence of lifetime bulimia.
Gendall
K A
KA
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, New Zealand.
Sullivan
P F
PF
Joyce
P R
PR
Bulik
C M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013649:Taste