Characteristics of eating disorders in a university hospital-based Spanish population.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the personal and family antecedents and clinical characteristics of patients with eating disorders (EDs) in a population of the south of Spain; to analyse the influence of lifestyles, family functioning, socioeconomic status (SES), and psychological characteristics in these processes.


METHODS
A university-based case-control study.


METHODS
University Hospital (Andalusia, Spain).


METHODS
A total of 120 patients with EDs and 240 controls.


METHODS
SCOFF, EDI, APGAR family, and SES questionnaires.


RESULTS
In all, 67.5% of patients presented anorexia (AN), 15% bulimia (BN), and 17.5% mixed forms. EDs emerged at around 18-20 y (95% CI 17.9-19.8). Factors associated with EDs are psychiatric conditions (depression OR: 4.16, anxiety OR: 4.59), more frequent use of medication (OR: 2.26), dietary fibre (OR: 2.59), and laxatives (OR: 3.47). Toxics consumption, sport activity, SES, and family antecedents of pathology are not associated with EDs. An inverse relationship was found between family functioning and the scores in various subscales of the EDI.


CONCLUSIONS
Eating disorders in Andalusia (Spain) are influenced significantly more by psychological, family, and cultural factors than by social factors.
Rodríguez Martín
A
A
Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Cádiz, Spain. amelia.rodriguez@uca.es
Novalbos Ruiz
J P
JP
Martinez Nieto
J M
JM
Escobar Jiménez
L
L
Castro de Haro
A L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005190:Family; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology