Clinical presentation of eating disorders in young males at a tertiary setting

Journal of Eating Disorders

Hunna J. Watson³  Matthew J. Hamilton⁴  Kimberley J. Hoiles²  Julie McCormack⁴  Chris Harris¹  Karina Limburg⁴  Chloe Y. Shu² 

[1] YouthFocus, Perth, Australia;School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, Australia;School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia;Eating Disorders Program located at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Specialised Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Child and Adolescent Health Service, Department of Health in Western Australia, Perth, Australia

关键词: Paediatric;    Males;    HOPE Project;    Eating disorders;    Clinical presentation;    Child;   

Others  :  1232613
DOI  :  10.1186/s40337-015-0075-x

 received in 2015-07-26, accepted in 2015-10-26,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Young males with eating disorders are a neglected study population in eating disorders. The aim of this study was to provide knowledge about the clinical presentation of eating disorders in young males.

Methods

The data source was the Helping to Outline Paediatric Eating Disorders (HOPE) Project (N ~ 1000), a prospective, ongoing registry comprising consecutive paediatric (<18 years) tertiary eating disorder referrals. Young males with DSM-5 eating disorders (n = 53) were compared with young females with eating disorders (n = 704).

Results

There was no significant difference in the prevalence of diagnosis of bulimia nervosa (2 % vs 11 %, p = 0.26) among sexes. Males had comparable duration of illness (9 months; p = 0.28) and a significantly earlier age of onset (M = 12 years; p <0.001). Shape concern (2.39 vs 3.57, p <0.001) and weight concern (1.97 vs 3.09, p <0.001) were lower in males, and body mass index z score (−1.61 vs −1.42, p = 0.29) and medical compromise (odds ratio [OR] = 0.64, 95 % CI: 0.36, 1.12) were comparable. Males had a two-folder higher odds of being diagnosed with unspecified feeding or eating disorders (40 % vs 22 % for females, p = 0.004). Driven exercise to control weight and shape was common and comparable in prevalence among males and females (51 % vs 47 %, p = 0.79) and males were less likely to present with self-induced vomiting (OR = 0.23, 95 % CI: 0.09, 0.59).

Conclusion

Boys with eating disorders are an understudied group with similarities and differences in clinical presentation from girls with eating disorders. Parents and physicians are encouraged to consider changes in weight, disturbed vital signs, and driven, frequent exercise for the purposes of controlling weight or shape, as possible signs of eating disorders among male children. Diagnostic classification, assessment instruments, conceptualisation, and treatment methods need to be refined to improve application to young males.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Shu et al.

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