title: Binge eating, purging and non-purging compensatory behaviours decrease from adolescence to adulthood: A population-based, longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Subclinical forms of eating disorders (ED) are highly prevalent, but relatively little is known about age trends, gender differences and distinctions among symptoms. This study investigates age trends and gender difference in binge eating, purging and non-purging compensatory behaviours (CB) and the relationship of such behaviours to psychosocial problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the national representative longitudinal study "Young in Norway" (ages 14-34 years) were analysed using χ(2) tests, logistic random intercept models and analyses of covariance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For both genders, a decrease was found in the prevalence of CB from age 14-16 years to 23 years and over. For binging, however, a significant decrease was found only for females, whose binge eating also declined more markedly over time than did males'. A significant gender difference was detected for purging, with females at higher risk. Purging was related to particularly serious symptoms of psychosocial problems: Those who purged had significantly higher levels of appearance dissatisfaction, anxiety and depressive symptoms, alcohol consumption, self-concept instability and loneliness than those with symptoms of other forms of disordered eating.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals affected by purging need to be targeted as a high-risk group. The distinction in severity among the subclinical ED may indicate the need for the reformulation of the eating disorder not otherwise specified category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Social Research, Elisenberg, Oslo, Norway. dawit.abebe@nova.no
authors.forename: Dawit Shawel
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Torgersen
authors.forename: Tilmann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: von Soest
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult