title: Reproductive and Appetite Hormones and Bulimic Symptoms during Midlife.
abstract: Eating disorders and related symptoms occur during midlife; however, little is known about their aetiology. It has been hypothesised that perimenopause represents a window of vulnerability for the development or exacerbation of eating disorder symptomatology because, like puberty, perimenopause is a period of reproductive hormone change. We compared symptoms of bulimia nervosa (bulimic symptomatology) assessed via mean scores on a self-report questionnaire in premenopausal and perimenopausal women. We also examined the association between hormone concentrations (reproductive/appetite) and bulimic symptomatology. No mean differences in bulimic symptomatology were observed between premenopause and perimenopause. However, there was a significant positive association between leptin and binge eating. Although no significant associations between reproductive hormones and bulimic symptomatology were observed, additional research is needed to provide definitive information. It is essential to learn more about the aetiology of eating disorders and related symptomatology across the lifespan in order to develop age-relevant treatment and prevention programs. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica H
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3997-2398
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brownley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.|Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.|Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bulik
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Susan S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Girdler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Marsha D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Joyce T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bromberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones
keywords: bulimia; bulimia nervosa; eating disorders; hormones; menopause transition; midlife; perimenopause