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Body checking and obsessive–compulsive symptoms in Brazilian outpatients with eating disorders

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

Compare obsessive–compulsive symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), and assess the association of these symptoms and body checking in each of these groups of patients.

Methods

Eighty-five female outpatients with eating disorders (ED) completed body checking and obsessive–compulsive questionnaires.

Results

Body checking was more prevalent in the BN group. Among patients with AN, the highest mean body-checking scores were found in patients with somatic obsessions related to body areas and eating rituals (p = 0.003 and 0.018, respectively).

Discussion

Patients with eating disorders are believed to be included in the obsessive–compulsive spectrum, and may experience intrusive thoughts about behavior. The results of our work suggest that obsessive symptoms and body checking should be further investigated and properly managed in patients with ED.

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Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women Drug Dependent Treatment Center, Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Adriana Trejger Kachani, Silvia Brasiliano & Patrícia Brunfentrinker Hochgraf

  2. Department of Statistics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Lucia Pereira Barroso

  3. Eating Disorders Program, Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Táki Athanássios Cordás

  4. Rua Bahia, 945 Apt. 71, 01244-001, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Adriana Trejger Kachani

Authors
  1. Adriana Trejger Kachani
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  2. Lucia Pereira Barroso
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  3. Silvia Brasiliano
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  4. Patrícia Brunfentrinker Hochgraf
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  5. Táki Athanássios Cordás
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Correspondence to Adriana Trejger Kachani.

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Kachani, A.T., Barroso, L.P., Brasiliano, S. et al. Body checking and obsessive–compulsive symptoms in Brazilian outpatients with eating disorders. Eat Weight Disord 19, 177–182 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-014-0111-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-014-0111-x

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