The aim of this research was to compare two different case-identification designs: (a) a one-stage anonymous design using the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q; Fairburn & Beglin, 1994) as diagnostic instrument and (b) a two-stage-non-anonymous design using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT; Garner & Garfinkel, 1979) and the EDE-Q as screening instruments and the clinical interview Eating Disorders Examination (EDE; Fairburn & Cooper, 1993) as diagnostic instrument, in the estimation of eating disorders prevalence in community samples. Both epidemiological designs were compared in: eating disorders prevalence, population at risk, and weekly frequency of associated symptomatology (binge eating episodes, self-vomiting) within a sample of 559 scholars (14 to 18 year-old males and females) studying in the region of Madrid. Eating disorders prevalence estimation using single-stage design was 6.2%, and 3% using the two-stage design; however, these differences were not significant (p = .067). No significant differences between the two procedures were found either in population at risk or in weekly frequency of reported self-vomiting. Reported binge eating episodes were higher in the one-stage design. The use of a two-stage procedure with clinical interview (vs. questionnaire) leads to a better understanding of the items (specially the most ambiguous ones) and thus, to a more accurate prevalence estimation.

This research examines the internal consistency, convergent validity, and sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of the Spanish version of the Eating Disorder Examination-Self-Report Questionnaire (S-EDE-Q), as a screening questionnaire for eating disorders (ED) in a community sample. Participants were 1543 male and female Spanish-speaking students (age range: 12-21 years), who volunteered to complete the S-EDE-Q and the EAT-40. The Spanish version of the Eating Disorders Examination (S-EDE) interview, 12th edition, was administered to 602 of the students. Acceptable internal consistency for the four subscales of the S-EDE-Q was obtained (α ≥ .74). Corrected pointbiserial correlation performed with the 22 items included in the S-EDE-Q subscales showed acceptable values for all the items. The EAT-40 Dieting subscale correlated highly and positively with the four S-EDE-Q subscales (r ≥ .70). Acceptable results in sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value when compared with the EDE were found. Correlation between S-EDE and S-EDE-Q diagnoses was positive and significant. Overall, results support the psychometric adequacy of the S-EDE-Q as a screening questionnaire for ED in community samples.

This is the first study developed in Portugal which investigates specific characteristics of dance and gymnastics environments that make them high-risk contexts for the development of eating disorders. Four focus groups were conducted with thirteen ballet students from a professional dance school and nine gymnasts from a gymnastics club (aged 12 to 17 years old), which were subjected to an inductive-deductive analysis procedure. Specific risk and protective factors were identified. Among their respective sources of influence, teachers and coaches are those who exert a stronger influence upon young athletes. We also explored some themes related to the influence of peers, parents, and environmental characteristics, which could have an important role on the development or prevention of disordered eating.

The objectives of the study were to analyze the psychometric properties, factor structure and internal consistency of the Spanish version of the Thought-Shape Fusion Questionnaire (TSF-Q), as well as to determine its validity by evaluating the relationship of the TSF-Q to different instruments.

Two groups were studied: one comprising 146 patients with a diagnosis of anorexia (n = 82), bulimia (n = 33) or unspecified eating disorder (n = 31), and another group of 115 undergraduates with no history of psychological disorder. All participants completed the TSF-Q, TAF-Q, EDI-2, STAI, BDI and SCL-90-R. Differences in TSF-Q scores between the diagnostic subgroups were also analyzed.

Two factors were obtained which coincided with the two sections indicated by the authors of the questionnaire: conceptual and interpretative. The internal consistency of the TSF-Q and its subscales was determined by means of Cronbach's alpha, with values ranging between .93 and .96. The correlations with other instruments reflected adequate validity. There were no significant differences between the diagnostic subgroups.

The Spanish version of the TSF-Q meets the psychometric requirements for measuring thought-shape fusion and shows adequate internal consistency and validity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between adolescents with a high or low risk of developing an eating disorder (ED) in different health behaviors (eating habits, physical activity and the consumption of substances) per gender. The EAT-40 and the Inventory of Behavioral Health in Scholars were applied to 2142 middle school students from Alicante (Spain), of whom 52.8% were girls and 47.2% were boys, with an average age of 13.92 years old (Sd = 1.34). Results indicated that girls with a high risk of developing an ED consumed fewer meals, ate fewer unhealthy foods, followed more diets and paid more attention to nutritional components. Furthermore, they also performed more physical activity with the objective of losing weight, and consumed more tobacco, alcohol and medicines. Boys at high risk of developing an ED followed more diets and paid more attention to nutritional components. For boys, no more differences were found. These results suggest that any program directed at the prevention of ED should not only include nutritional education, but should also seek to promote regular physical activity with objectives other than weight loss or the burning of calories.

El objetivo de este estudio era examinar el efecto de la melatonina sobre el umbral al dolor térmico en pacientes femeninos con trastornos de la conducta alimentaria. Se incluyó en el estudio a catorce pacientes. Encontramos una relación parabólica entre el umbral al dolor y el contenido de sulfatoximelatonina de la orina (r = 0,6299, P < 0,05). Podemos especular que el aumento en la gravedad del trastorno de la conducta alimentaria puede disminuir tanto el nivel de melatonina como la sensibilidad al dolor. Por contraste con el efecto analgésico esperado de la melatonina, nuestros resultados mostraron su posible influencia normalizadora también sobre la sensibilidad al dolor disminuida patológicamente.

Puesto que la insatisfacción con el cuerpo es una parte esencial de la anorexia/bulimia nerviosa, quisimos evaluar la experiencia del cuerpo de las pacientes antes y después de tratamiento intensivo. Se estudió la experiencia del cuerpo en 290 pacientes de trastorno de la conducta alimentaria admitidas en una unidad especializada después de seis meses y de nuevo después de un año utilizando el Test de actitudes hacia el cuerpo (BAT), el Inventario de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (EDI) y la Escala de evaluación de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (EDES). La experiencia del cuerpo claramente negativa de las pacientes con trastorno de la conducta alimentaria evolucionó de manera positiva después de la terapia y esta mejoría duró hasta un año después de la admisión. Las puntuaciones del EDI y el índice de masa corporal en el momento de la admisión parecían ser los predictores más poderosos de la puntuación total del BAT en el seguimiento. Aunque la insatisfacción con el cuerpo puede ser bastante persistente en los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria, el tratamiento intensivo puede mejorar sustancialmente la experiencia del cuerpo de las pacientes.

En este estudio, investigamos la prevalencia del síndrome completo (SC), el síndrome parcial (SP) y el síndrome subclínico (SSC) de los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria en una muestra de 356 muchachas que cursaban enseñanza secundaria. Identificamos dos casos de anorexia nerviosa (0,56%), 14 de bulimia nerviosa (3,94%) y uno de trastorno por atracón (0,28%) según el Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico (DSM) IV. Además, se reconocieron 17 muchachas (4,77%) como casos de SP y 49 (13,7%) como casos de SSC. Actualmente, está en curso un seguimiento para explorar la evolución clínica de los síndromes parciales y subclínicos.