title: Anorexia nervosa: changes in sexuality during weight restoration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined changes in sexual drive during weight restoration in patients with anorexia nervosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven women with anorexia nervosa prospectively completed the Sexual Daydreaming Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at five time points during inpatient treatment involving weight restoration. SDQ and HADS scores were recorded every 4 weeks until 8 weeks after subjects had reached the mean matched population weight (MMPW), which was monitored against body mass index (BMI). Histories were 'taken for purging, self-cutting, childhood sexual abuse, and number of sexual partners. Repeated-measures analysis of variance, regression analyses, and t tests were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI and sexual daydreaming were closely associated (p < .001). BMI and depression also achieved a statistically significant association (p = .046), with "caseness" for anxiety disorder throughout. Higher levels of sexual drive at MMPW seemed to be associated with purging, self-cutting, and childhood sexual abuse but not at low weight. Levels of sexual drive did not reflect previous sexual behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase in sexual drive accompanies weight restoration in patients with anorexia nervosa, which is consistent with psychological and physiological explanations of altered sexuality. Transient depression is also associated with weight gain. Changes in sexuality should be considered in both recovery and treatment failure.
authors.affiliation: Eating Disorder Unit, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom. jmorgan@sghms.ac.uk
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lacey
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005201:Fantasy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000502:physiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*