A comparison of eating disorder patients in India and Australia.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are an emerging concern in India. There are few studies comparing clinical samples in western and nonwestern settings. AIM: The aim was to compare females aged 16-26 years being treated for an ED in India (outpatients n = 30) and Australia (outpatients n = 30, inpatients n = 30). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples were matched by age and body mass index, and had similar diagnostic profiles. Demographic information and history of eating and exercise problems were assessed. All patients completed the quality-of-life for EDs (QOL EDs) questionnaire. RESULTS: Indians felt they overate and binge ate more often than Australians; frequencies of food restriction, vomiting, and laxative use were similar. Indians were less aware of ED feelings, such as, "fear of losing control over food or eating" and "being preoccupied with food, eating or their body." Indians felt eating and exercise had less impact on their relationships and social life but more impact on their medical health. No differences were found in the global quality-of-life, body weight, eating behaviors, psychological feelings, and exercise subscores for the three groups. CONCLUSION: Indian and Australian patients are similar but may differ in preoccupation and control of their ED-related feelings.

Translation of the Quality of Life for Eating Disorders questionnaire into Hindi.

OBJECTIVE: The Quality of Life for Eating Disorders questionnaire was translated into Hindi (QOL ED-H) using the forward-backward translation procedure for use with Indian females. METHOD: A total of ninety-five females were recruited from two secondary schools and one tertiary college from Delhi, India. They were aged between 14 and 37 years, ranging from low to high socioeconomic status communities. A psychologist and teacher produced a preliminary Hindi version, which was back-translated by the psychologist and a journalist and any disparity was checked. The Hindi and English versions were administered one week apart to the same participants, the order being randomised. RESULTS: Repeated measures analysis revealed no significant differences in QOL ED scores (global and subscores) between the Hindi and English versions, when controlled for age. CONCLUSION: The QOL ED-H can be used to assess eating and exercise disordered thinking, feeling, behaviours, psychological feelings and daily living in Indian females of all SES groups.

Time since menarche, weight gain and body image awareness among adolescent girls: onset of eating disorders?

BACKGROUND: Eating, body weight and shape feelings and behaviours of female adolescents in relation to the time since their first menstrual period were studied. METHOD: Three hundred sixty three female school students, aged 12-17 years participated in a cross-sectional computer survey. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in body weight following menarche including a rapid rise from 7-12 months after menarche (47.4 kg, 95% CI 45.2-49.7, 56.9 kg 95% CI 54.0-59.8). Students did not immediately adjust their perception of body weight to incorporate this rapid rise. The discrepancy between actual and desired weight was greatest 7-12 and 13-24 months after menarche. Weight losing behaviours and associated feelings around body image increased significantly following menarche in adolescents of all body weights. Increases were related to body weight and time since menarche, but not to age. Binge eating commenced more than 6 months after menarche and purging behaviour after 12 months. CONCLUSION: Both time since menarche and increase in body weight following menarche are associated with increasing concerns about eating, body image and weight losing behaviour. Some young women develop eating disorders. Menarche and subsequent weight gain appear as a risk factor for the onset of eating disorders.