title: Perceived body weight, eating and exercise problems of different groups of women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare prevalence of problems with body weight, eating and exercise (past or present) of female psychiatric inpatients with routine care, gynaecological and obstetric female outpatients, and eating disorder inpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand and thirty-eight females aged 18-55 years from routine care (n=99), gynaecological (n=263) and obstetric (n=271) outpatient clinics, and eating disorder (n=223) and general psychiatric units (n=182) participated. Participants self-reported past or current problems with weight, eating and exercise using a short survey. A sub-sample of women completed the Eating and Exercise Examination (EEE) which includes the Quality of Life for Eating Disorders (QOL ED).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of self-reported problems controlling weight (52%), disordered eating and eating disorders (43%) for the psychiatric patients was significantly greater than for the routine care and gynaecological and obstetrics outpatients. The psychiatric group had a significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.3 kg/m(2) (standard deviation (SD)=6.7) and prevalence of self-reported obesity (28%) than the other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of women with psychiatric problems should include assessment and concurrent attention to body weight, eating disorder and exercise problems in association with appropriate medical, psychiatric, psychological and medication treatment of their presenting disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Sydney, and Northside Clinic and Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coker
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Telfer
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abraham
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology