Regional fat distribution in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: effect of duration of malnutrition and weight recovery.
OBJECTIVE
This study addresses the influence of the duration of malnutrition and the effect of weight recovery on regional fat mass distribution in moderately malnourished adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN).


METHODS
We measured total and regional fat mass and leptin levels in 42 restrictive AN female adolescents and 23 controls. AN patients, followed over 2 years, were divided into three groups: prolonged moderate malnutrition (PM; secondary amenorrhea for over 1 year, n = 14); SM, short period of moderate malnutrition (secondary amenorrhea for less than 1 year, n = 13); and R, recovered from AN (BMI, body mass index and menses recovered for over 6 months, n = 15).


RESULTS
Total, trunk, and extremity fat mass were reduced in the PM and SM groups (P < 0.05), whereas only PM patients showed altered regional fat distribution with a low trunk to extremity fat ratio (P < 0.05). BMI increased after 12 months only in the SM group (P < 0.05), with menses resumption in 69% of these patients and BMI normalization at 24 months. Their regional fat distribution was similar to controls throughout the study. No difference in any parameter was found between the R group and the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged malnutrition, but not weight recovery, is associated with an abnormal regional fat distribution pattern in moderately malnourished AN adolescents.
de Alvaro
María Teresa García
MT
Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Avda. Menéndez Pelayo, 65, E-28009 Madrid, Spain.
Muñoz-Calvo
María Teresa
MT
Barrios
Vicente
V
Martínez
Guillermo
G
Martos-Moreno
Gabriel Angel
GA
Hawkins
Federico
F
Argente
Jesús
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001823:Body Composition; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D004035:Diet Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000473:pathology*; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*