Prevalence, incidence, impairment, course, and diagnostic progression and transition of eating disorders, overweight, and obesity in a large prospective study of high-risk young women.

Abstract

We examined prevalence, incidence, impairment, course, and diagnostic transitions for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, eating disorders, overweight, and obesity in a high-risk sample of 1,952 young women (Mage = 19.7 years) who completed diagnostic interviews over a 3-year period. The baseline prevalence of any eating disorder was 13.3% and 25.4% showed onset (incidence) over 3-year follow-up. Baseline prevalence of overweight and obesity were 17.2% and 11.9%, respectively, with respective 3-year incidence rates of 18.3% and 6.8%. The average duration of eating disorders ranged from 2.2 to 5.0 months. Episode duration for overweight and obesity were 14.9 and 20.0 months, respectively. Most eating disorders (82%-96%) showed remission within 1 year; recurrence rates varied from 12% (atypical anorexia nervosa [AN]) to 44% (subthreshold bulimia nervosa). Three-year remission rates for overweight (53%) and obesity (34%) were lower, as was recurrence (15% and 9%, respectively). All eating disorders were characterized by a mixture of binge eating and compensatory weight control behaviors. Functional impairment was elevated for half the examined eating disorders and obesity. Diagnostic progression varied from 3% of those with atypical AN progressing to AN to 29% of those with subthreshold binge eating disorder progressing to binge eating disorder. Regarding diagnostic crossover, the most frequent pattern was shifting from a threshold to a subthreshold eating disorder, followed by shifting from a binge-related eating disorder to overweight. Results extend knowledge of the natural history of eating disorders and provide novel evidence of the relation between eating disorders and overweight/obesity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).