Study, 2023
How are eating disorders and premenstrual symptoms connected?
Eating disorder and premenstrual symptoms are linked in ways beyond their individual effects on eating. Specific symptoms like body dissatisfaction, calorie counting, and negative emotions connect the two.
What they did
A study of young adult women measured eating disorder symptoms using one questionnaire and premenstrual symptoms using another. Researchers used network analysis to see which symptoms were central to each condition and which symptoms linked the two together.
What they found
In eating disorder networks, body dissatisfaction and calorie counting were core features. In premenstrual networks, symptoms that interfered with daily life and negative emotions were central. Symptoms connecting both conditions were eating behaviors, interference with daily activities, joint and muscle pain, and negative emotions from hormones.
What it means for you
Eating disorders and premenstrual symptoms share underlying causes beyond their separate effects. Hormones may affect both eating behaviors and mood in similar ways. The study was large but is limited because it is cross-sectional (a snapshot in time) with no control group.
4
bridge symptom categories identified
About the study
- Original title
- Understanding comorbidity between eating disorder and premenstrual symptoms using a network analysis approach
- Authors
- Finch JE, Xu Z, Baker JH
- Journal
- Appetite
- Year
- 2023
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- None - survey study
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.106410
Topics
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