The prevalence of eating disorders in thyroid disease: a pilot study

J Psychosom Res. 1994 Aug;38(6):609-16. doi: 10.1016/0022-3999(94)90058-2.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of eating disorders and partial syndromes in women with thyroid disease. Female patients between the ages of 18 and 45 who attended a specialist thyroid clinic, in 1990, were asked to complete two self-report questionnaires (Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh, BITE and General Health Questionnaire, GHQ). High scoring patients were invited to attend for a research interview. The case notes of non-responders were examined. Seventy-three patients were entered into the study and 50 subjects returned their questionnaires (69%). Eleven patients scored highly on the BITE, nine of these patients also scoring highly on the GHQ, as did a further 12 patients. Ten patients were interviewed; of these, three patients (4%) met DSM111R criteria for bulimia nervosa and three patients met criteria for an eating disorder not otherwise specified. These results suggest that there is an increased prevalence of eating disorders in women thyroid patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anorexia Nervosa / diagnosis
  • Anorexia Nervosa / epidemiology
  • Anorexia Nervosa / psychology
  • Body Image
  • Body Mass Index
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Bulimia / diagnosis
  • Bulimia / epidemiology
  • Bulimia / psychology
  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • England / epidemiology
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / diagnosis
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / diagnosis
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / psychology
  • Personality Assessment
  • Personality Inventory
  • Substance-Related Disorders / diagnosis
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Thyroid Diseases / diagnosis
  • Thyroid Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Thyroid Diseases / psychology
  • Thyroxine

Substances

  • Thyroxine