Abstract
A possible overlap between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anorexia nervosa (AN), in terms of both behavioural and cognitive features, has led to new areas of research. The aim of the present study was to examine the occurrence of eating behaviours frequently seen in ASD among adolescents and young adults with AN. The participants were females within the age range 15–25 years: 36 with current AN (32 were followed up after 1 year), 19 with ASD, and 30 healthy females. The participants completed the SWedish Eating Assessment for Autism spectrum disorders (SWEAA) and the Autism Spectrum Quotient tool (AQ). AN groups had significantly higher SWEAA scores than the healthy comparison group, also when patients had gained weight. Typical autistic eating behaviours, such as selective eating, were more common in the AN groups than in the ASD group. This is the first time that SWEAA has been implemented in an AN population. Eating behaviours frequently seen in ASD seem to be frequent in AN and some remain also after weight gain.
Highlights
Similarities between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anorexia nervosa (AN) were first suggested in the 1980s [1]
In 2013, the SWedish Eating Assessment for Autism spectrum disorders (SWEAA) was designed and validated by our research group, to assess eating behaviours frequently seen in ASD and problems with eating and mealtime surroundings in ASD [19]
Eating behaviours frequently seen in ASD in AN
Summary
Similarities between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anorexia nervosa (AN) were first suggested in the 1980s [1]. It is well established that certain neuropsychological functions are impaired in individuals with ASD (e.g. cognitive flexibility, such as set-shifting, and central coherence) and Selective eating (such as eating a limited number of foods; for instance, only eating food items of a certain colour) and pica (eating inedible things) are examples of typical aberrant eating behaviours in individuals with ASD [18]. In 2013, the SWedish Eating Assessment for Autism spectrum disorders (SWEAA) was designed and validated by our research group, to assess eating behaviours frequently seen in ASD and problems with eating and mealtime surroundings in ASD [19]. The study showed that ASD patients exhibited specific difficulties with the social situation surrounding food and eating, as well as with simultaneous capacity (doing two things at the same time), rather than with typical eating disorder symptoms
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