Weight requirements for catch-up growth in girls with eating disorders and onset of weight loss before menarche.
OBJECTIVE
The current study investigated catch-up in stature in girls with eating disorders and onset of weight loss and stunting of growth before menarche.


METHODS
Forty-six girls were followed with measurements of weight and stature for 2-5 years after presentation.


RESULTS
At presentation, the girls were stunted by 0.48 +/- 0.57 standard deviation scores (SDS) for height compared with their prepubertal growth track. Maximal stunting of 0.72 +/- 0.68 SDS was reached after 1 year of treatment despite weight gain. Catch-up growth, that is, increase in height SDS, was achieved during the second to fourth years. Thirty-four girls who reached menarche had normalized weight and reached their prepubertal growth track. In a regression analysis, growth in stature during a year of treatment could be predicted to 50% by age, the weight gain that year, the weight gain the preceding year, and by the weight level at the start of the year. Catch-up growth during a year could be predicted to 26% by the weight gain that year and the weight gain the preceding year.


CONCLUSIONS
Catch-up growth is possible in girls with eating disorders of premenarcheal onset. Weight gain is necessary for catch-up growth and must start before the ability to grow is lost with age. Once weight gain starts, the full effect on growth in stature takes several years to evolve.
Swenne
Ingemar
I
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. ingemar.swenne@akademiska.se
D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000523:psychology; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015431:Weight Loss