Physical activity and the drive to exercise in anorexia nervosa

Momentary physiological indices related to eating disorders: A systematic and methodological review

Eating disorders (ED) are serious psychiatric illnesses, with no everyday support to intervene on the high rates of relapse. Understanding physiological indices that can be measured by wearable sensor technologies may provide new momentary interventions for individuals with ED. This systematic review, searching large databases, synthesises studies investigating peripheral physiological (PP) indices commonly included in wearable wristbands (heart rate [HR], heart rate variability [HRV], electrodermal activity [EDA], peripheral skin temperature [PST], and acceleration) in ED. Inclusion criteria included: (a) full peer-reviewed empirical articles in English; (b) human participants with active ED; and (c) containing one of five wearable physiological measures. Kmet risk of bias was assessed. Ninety-four studies were included (Anorexia nervosa [AN; N = 4418], bulimia nervosa [BN; N = 916], binge eating disorder [BED; N = 1604], other specified feeding and eating disorders [OSFED; N = 424], and transdiagnostic [N = 47]). Participants with AN displayed lower HR and EDA and higher HRV compared to healthy individuals. Those with BN showed higher HRV, and lower EDA and PST compared to healthy individuals. Other ED and Transdiagnostic samples showed mixed results. PP differences are indicated through various assessments in ED, which may suggest diagnostic associations, although more studies are needed to validate observed patterns. Results suggest important therapeutic potential for PP in ED, and larger studies including diverse participants and diagnostic groups are needed to fully uncover their role in ED.

The Relationship between Patient Self-Reported, Pre-Morbid Physical Activity and Clinical Outcomes of Inpatient Treatment in Youth with Anorexia Nervosa: A Pilot Study

Links between premorbid physical activity (PA) and disease onset/course in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) remain unclear. The aim was to assess self-reported PA as a predictor of change in percent median BMI (%mBMI) and length of hospital stay (LOS). Five PA domains were assessed via semi-structured interview in adolescents with AN at hospitalization: premorbid PA in school grades 1-6 (PA1-6); PA before AN onset (PA-pre) and after AN onset (PA-post); new, pathological motivation for PA (PA-new); and high intensity PA (PA-high). Eating disorder psychopathology was measured via the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), and current PA (steps/day) with accelerometry. PA1-6 was also assessed in healthy controls (HCs). Using stepwise backward regression models, predictors of %mBMI change and LOS were examined. Compared with 22 HCs (age = 14.7 ± 1.3 years, %mBMI = 102.4 ± 12.1), 25 patients with AN (age = 15.1 ± 1.7 years, %mBMI = 74.8 ± 6.0) reported significantly higher PA1-6 (median, AN = 115 [interquartile range IQR = 75;200] min vs. HC = 68 [IQR = 29;105] min; p = 0.017). PA-post was 244 ± 323% higher than PA-pre. PA1-6 was directly associated with PA-pre (p = 0.001) but not with PA-post (p = 0.179) or change in PA-pre to PA-post (p = 0.735). Lower %mBMI gain was predicted by lower baseline %mBMI (p = 0.001) and more PA-high (p = 0.004; r2 = 0.604). Longer LOS was predicted by higher PA-pre (p = 0.003, r2 = 0.368). Self-reported PA may identify a subgroup of youth with AN at risk of less weight gain and prolonged LOS during inpatient treatment for AN.

The State Urge to be Physically Active-Questionnaire (SUPA-Q): Development and validation of a state measure of activity urges in patients with eating disorders

OBJECTIVE

Many people, including patients with eating disorders (EDs), experience an increased urge for physical activity. "Trait"-like activity in patients with EDs is assessed by existing questionnaires, but there are few clinically validated assessments of a "state" urge to be physically active. Here, we developed and validated the State Urge to be Physically Active-Questionnaire (SUPA-Q).

METHODS

After developing and piloting the items, N = 126 patients with EDs (mostly anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) took part in our mixed-longitudinal validation study with one primary assessment for all patients and a secondary assessment for a subsample of patients. Cronbach's α and split-half-methods served as measures of consistency and reliability. Correlations with other questionnaires were used to determine convergent and divergent validity, and confirmatory factor analysis was used for investigating factorial validity. We used paired-samples t-tests for repeated assessments to investigate change sensitivity.

RESULTS

We found the SUPA-Q to be highly consistent, and reliable and to demonstrate convergent, divergent, and factorial validity. The comparison of SUPA-Q scores from repeated assessments within a subsample of patients demonstrated the questionnaire's change sensitivity, Cohen's d = 0.48. Moreover, an increase in SUPA-Q scores was associated with a less positive mood, more anxiety, more body dissatisfaction, more tenseness, less feelings of control, and more stress.

DISCUSSION

The newly developed SUPA-Q may help to accentuate the necessity to evaluate and address the acute urge to engage in physical activity in patients with EDs in clinical practice and ultimately support tailoring treatments to patients' unique symptom patterns. The questionnaire is available at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/G2YBC.

The Promise and Illusion of Continuous, Cuffless Blood Pressure Monitoring

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Blood pressure (BP) fluctuations outside of clinic are increasingly recognized for their role in the development of cardiovascular disease, syncope, and premature death and as a promising target for tailored hypertension treatment. However, current cuff-based BP devices, including home and ambulatory devices, are unable to capture the breadth of BP variability across human activities, experiences, and contexts.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cuffless, wearable BP devices offer the promise of beat-to-beat, continuous, noninvasive measurement of BP during both awake and sleep periods with minimal patient inconvenience. Importantly, cuffless BP devices can characterize BP variability, allowing for the identification of patient-specific triggers of BP surges in the home environment. Unfortunately, the pace of evidence, regulation, and validation testing has lagged behind the pace of innovation and direct consumer marketing. We provide an overview of the available technologies and devices for cuffless BP monitoring, considerations for the calibration and validation of these devices, and the promise and pitfalls of the cuffless BP paradigm.

Using clinical cutoff scores on the eating disorder examination-questionnaire to evaluate eating disorder symptoms during and after naturalistic intensive treatment

Clinical cutoff scores for self-report measures provide a means of evaluating clinically significant pathology during and after treatment. A cutoff of 2.8 on the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) has been recommended to screen for eating disorders (ED). We used this cutoff to assess ED symptoms in adolescents (n = 444) and adults (n = 592) through ED treatment and follow-up. Most patients scored above 2.8 at intake (adolescents 67%, M = 3.21; adults 78%, M = 4.20) and below 2.8 at discharge (adolescents 65%, M = 1.87; adults 66%, M = 2.67), with gains often maintained through follow-up (40% of adolescents and 35% of adults at 12-month follow-up). EDE-Q scores were higher in adults than adolescents and in patients with binge/purge disorders. Results suggest a cutoff of 2.8 on the EDE-Q effectively tracks ED symptom improvement through treatment and discharge. This supports the need for the development of culture-specific and empirically developed clinical cutoffs and their widespread use to evaluate program effectiveness.

A machine learning investigation into the temporal dynamics of physical activity-mediated emotional regulation in adolescents with anorexia nervosa and healthy controls

OBJECTIVE

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is commonly experienced alongside difficulties of emotion regulation (ER). Previous works identified physical activity (PA) as a mechanism for AN sufferers to achieve desired affective states, with evidence towards mitigation of negative affect. However, temporal associations of PA with specific emotional state outcomes are unknown.

METHOD

Using lag-ensemble machine learning and feature importance analyses, 888 affect-based ecological momentary assessments across N = 75 adolescents with AN (N = 44) and healthy controls (N = 31) were analysed to explore significance of past PA, measured through passively collected wrist-worn actigraphy, with subsequent self-report momentary affect change across 9 affect constructs.

RESULTS

Among AN adolescents, later lags (≥2.5 h) were important in predicting change across negative emotions (hostility, sadness, fear, guilt). AN-specific model performance on held-out test data revealed the holistic "negative affect" construct as significantly predictable. Only joviality and self-assurance, both positively-valenced constructs, were significantly predictable among healthy-control-specific models.

DISCUSSION

Results recapitulated previous findings regarding the importance of PA in negative ER for AN individuals. Moreover, PA was found to play a uniquely prominent role in predicting negative affect 4.5-6 h later among AN adolescents. Future research into the PA-ER dynamic will benefit from targeting specific negative emotions across greater temporal scales.

Restlessness and an Increased Urge to Move (Drive for Activity) in Anorexia Nervosa May Strengthen Personal Motivation to Maintain Caloric Restriction and May Augment Body Awareness and Proprioception: A Lesson From Leptin Administration in Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN), a disorder of voluntary food restriction leading to severe weight loss in female adolescents, remains an enigma. In particular, the appropriation of the starved thin body into the self-concept in AN is a process insufficiently researched and still poorly understood. Healthy humans undergoing starvation experience a slowing of movements and avoid voluntary exercise. By contrast, AN tends to be not infrequently associated with voluntary, sometimes excessive and/or compulsive exercise. Such deliberate exercise, not reported in starvation, seems to be facilitated by an increased urge for movement and physical restlessness, particular to AN. The increased urge to move would reflect spontaneous daily activity, the energy expended for everything that is not sleeping, eating, or voluntary exercise. Our hypothesis is that the starvation-induced increased urge to move and restlessness may promote the development of AN. Reversal of the fasting state, by either high caloric food or by leptin administration, would be expected to reduce restlessness and the increased urge to move along with improvement in other symptoms in AN. This review explores the idea that such restless activation in AN, in itself and through accelerating body weight loss, might foster the integration of the starving body into the self-concept by (1) enhancing the person’s sense of self-control and sense of achievement and (2) through invigorating proprioception and through intensifying the perception of the changing body shape. (3) Tentative evidence from studies piloting leptin administration in chronic AN patients which support this hypothesis is reviewed. The findings show that short term administration of high doses of leptin indeed mitigated depressive feelings, inner tension, intrusive thoughts of food, and the increased urge to be physically active, easing the way to recovery, yet had little influence on the patients’ personal commitment to remain at a low weight. Full recovery then requires resolution of the individuals’ personal unresolved psychological conflicts through psychotherapy and frequently needs specialized treatment approaches to address psychiatric co-morbidities. AN might be conceptualized as a hereditary form of starvation resistance, facilitated by the effects of starvation on fitness allowing for an exceptionally intense personal commitment to perpetuate food restriction.

Sensor technology in eating disorders research: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Sensor technologies offer exciting potential to objectively measure psychopathological correlates of eating pathology and eating disorder (ED) research utilizing sensors has rapidly proliferated in the past several years. The aims of the present review are: (1) characterize the types of sensors that have been utilized in ED research, (2) identify the psychopathological factors relevant to EDs that have been assessed using sensors, (3) describe the data supporting the validity and reliability of these sensors, (4) discuss limitations associated with these sensors, and (5) identify gaps that persist within the ED literature with regard to use of sensor technologies.

METHOD

A systematic search was conducted of PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ProQuest, and "gray" literature sources. Eligible publications were empirical studies that utilized sensors to measure at least one psychological variable among clinical ED populations.

RESULTS

Sensors have been utilized with ED samples to measure eating behaviors, physical activity, sleep, autonomic nervous system activity, eyeblink startle response, visual attention, and visual-haptic object integration. The reliability and validity of these sensors varies widely and there are a number of significant gaps that remain in the literature with regard to the types of sensors utilized, context in which sensors have been used, and populations studied.

DISCUSSION

The existing literature utilizing sensors within ED research largely support the feasibility and acceptability of these tools. Sensors should continue to be utilized within the field, with a specific focus on examining the reliability and validity of these tools within ED samples and increasing the diversity of samples studied.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Sensor technologies, such as those included in modern smartwatches, offer new opportunities to measure factors that may maintain or contribute to symptoms of eating disorders. This article describes the types of sensors that have been used in eating disorders research, challenges that may arise in using these sensors, and discusses new applications of these sensors that may be pursued in future research.

High levels of physical activity in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa: medical and psychopathological correlates

PURPOSE

While overexercise is commonly described in patients who experience anorexia nervosa (AN), it represents a condition still underestimated, especially in the paediatric population.

METHOD

The present study aims at assessing the possible associations between levels of physical activity (PA) and clinical features, endocrinological data and psychopathological traits in a sample of 244 female adolescents hospitalised for AN subdivided into two groups according to PA levels (high PA vs. no/low PA). The two groups were compared through multivariate analyses, while multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine whether physical activity predict specific outcomes.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of last Body Mass Index (BMI) before illness, BMI at admission and disease duration, while a difference emerged in delta BMI(rapidity of weight loss), significantly higher in high-PA group (p = 0.021). Significant differences were observed in Free triiodothyronine- (p < 0.001), Free thyroxine (p = 0.046), Follicle-stimulating hormone (p = 0.019), Luteinising hormone (p = 0.002) levels, with values remarkably lower in high-PA group. Concerning psychopathological scales, the high-PA group showed worst Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) scores (p = 0.035). Regression analyses revealed that higher PA predicts higher delta BMI (p = 0.021), presence of amenorrhea (p = 0.003), lower heart rate (p = 0.012), lower thyroid (Free triiodothyronine p < 0.001, Free thyroxine p = 0.029) and gynaecological hormones' levels (Follicle-stimulating hormone p = 0.023, Luteinising hormone p = 0.003, 17-Beta estradiol p = 0.041). Concerning psychiatric measures, HPA predicts worst scores at CGAS (p = 0.019), and at scales for evaluation of alexithymia (p = 0.028) and depression (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that high levels of physical activity in acute AN associate with worst clinical conditions at admission, especially in terms of endocrinological and medical features.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Physical activity and sleep during the first week of anorexia nervosa inpatient care

Background

Individuals with Anorexia Nervosa are often described as restless, hyperactive and having disturbed sleep. The result reproducibility and generalisability of these results are low due to the use of unreliable methods, different measurement methods and outcome measures. A reliable method to measure both physical activity and sleep is through accelerometry. The main purpose of the study was to quantify the physical activity and sleeping behaviour of anorexia nervosa patients. Another purpose was to increase result reproducibility and generalisability of the study.

Material and methods

Accelerometer data were collected from the first week of treatment of anorexia nervosa at an inpatient ward. Raw data from the Axivity AX3^© accelerometer was used with the open-source package GGIR for analysis, in the free statistical software R. Accelerometer measurements were transformed into euclidean norm minus one with negative values rounded to zero (ENMO). Physical activity measurements of interest were 24h average ENMO, daytime average ENMO, inactivity, light activity, moderate activity, and vigorous activity. Sleep parameters of interest were sleep duration, sleep efficiency, awakenings, and wake after sleep onset. The sleep duration of different age groups was compared to recommendations by the National Sleep Foundation using a Fisher’s exact test.

Results

Of 67 patients, due to data quality 58 (93% female) were included in the analysis. Average age of participants was 17.8 (±6.9) years and body mass index was 15.5 (±1.9) kg/m². Daytime average ENMO was 17.4 (±5.1) mg. Participants spent 862.6 (±66.2) min per day inactive, 88.4 (±22.6) min with light activities, 25.8 (±16.7) min with moderate activities and 0.5 (±1.8) min with vigorous activities. Participants slept for 461.0 (±68.4) min, waking up 1.45 (±1.25) times per night for 54.6 (±35.8) min, having an average sleep quality of 0.88 (±0.10). 31% of participants met sleep recommendations, with a significantly higher number of 6–13 year old patients failing to reach recommendations compared to 14–25 year old patients.

Conclusion

The patient group spent most of their time inactive at the beginning of treatment. Most patients failed to reach sleep recommendations. The use of raw data and opensource software should ensure result reproducibility, enable comparison across points in treatment and comparison with healthy individuals.

Physical exercise-related endophenotypes in anorexia nervosa

BACKGROUND

The persistence of physical exercise in anorexia nervosa (AN) despite underweight and its maintaining factors are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes toward physical exercise and its effects on emotions, cognitive functioning, and body image perception in patients with AN, and to search for exercise-related endophenotypes of the pathology.

METHODS

Physical exercise dependence, quantity, and dysregulation were assessed by the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS), the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and a standardized effort test in 88 patients with AN, 30 unaffected relatives and 89 healthy controls. Changes in positive and negative affect, cognitive rigidity, and body image distortion were measured before and after the effort test in the three groups.

RESULTS

Patients with AN had higher scores on the EDS and the GLTEQ and used more effort in the standardized effort test. These three measures of physical exercise correlated with negative emotions at baseline. After the effort test, patients with AN had marked emotional improvement, a moderate increase in body image distortion and a small increase in cognitive rigidity compared to HC. Unaffected relatives also had a significant postexercise increase of positive emotion.

DISCUSSION

The mood-related drive for physical exercise has the characteristics of an endophenotype of the disorder. Excessive and driven physical exercise may be state-associated features of AN, driven by the positive effect on emotional wellbeing.

Cytokines and Water Distribution in Anorexia Nervosa

In patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), decreased intracellular (ICW), extracellular (ECW), and total body water (TBW) as well as changes in serum cytokine concentrations have been reported. In this exploratory study, we measured body composition and serum cytokine levels in patients with AN (n = 27) and healthy controls (HCs; n = 13). Eating disorder symptom severity was assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Body composition was determined by bioimpedance analysis (BIA) which provided information on ICW, ECW, and TBW. Following blood collection, 27 cytokines and chemokines were quantified using multiplex ELISA-based technology: Eotaxin, Eotaxin-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon- (IFN-) γ, interleukin- (IL-) 1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12/IL-23p40, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-15, IL-16, IL-17A, interferon γ-induced protein- (IP-) 10, macrophage inflammatory protein- (MIP-) 1α, MIP-1β, monocyte chemoattractant protein- (MCP-) 1, MCP-4, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), TNF-α, and TNF-β. ICW, ECW, and TBW volumes were significantly lower in patients with AN than in HCs. In the whole sample, GM-CSF, MCP-4, and IL-4 were positively, whereas IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-10 were negatively associated with all three parameters of body water. In AN participants, we found a statistically significant negative correlation of IL-10 with ICW, ECW, and TBW. Our results suggest an interaction between body water and the cytokine system. Underlying mechanisms are unclear but may involve a loss of water from the gut, kidneys, or skin due to AN-associated inflammatory processes.

Development and evaluation of an adapted physical activity program in anorexia nervosa inpatients: A pilot study

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Problematic use of physical activity is frequent in subjects with anorexia nervosa (AN). Although it increases resistance to therapeutic treatment, paradoxically, physical activity in AN can also improve mental and physical health. Based on the literature review we hypothesized that adding an adapted physical activity (APA) program to treatment programs could be more beneficial than a total suppression of physical activities. We designed this open study to evaluate the outcome of AN inpatients after an APA program implementation as well as the perceived effect of APA.

METHOD

Forty-one women with AN (17.2 (±2.5) years old, BMI of 16.86 (±2.0)) were included. An eight-session (1 h30/session/week) standardized APA program was delivered and evaluated by structured questionnaires assessing exercise dependence, perceived physical activity, eating disorder (ED) symptoms, body mass index (BMI), along with an interview before and after the APA program.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine women complete the PA program and evaluation. BMI and perceived PA score significantly increased, ED and exercise dependence scores significantly decreased (p < .01). Participants appreciated the program.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

The inpatient program which included APA program helped AN inpatients in decreasing their ED symptoms and their dependence to PA, without any deleterious effect on BMI. Furthermore, APA was appreciated by participants.

Psychological and nutritional correlates of objectively assessed physical activity in patients with anorexia nervosa

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) plays a role in the course of anorexia nervosa (AN).

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between PA, nutritional status and psychological parameters in patients with AN.

METHOD

Using a wearable activity monitor, PA was assessed in 60 female AN inpatients, by step count and time spent in 4 metabolic equivalent (MET)-intensity levels: sedentary behaviour, light, moderate and vigorous PA. In addition, BMI, psychological (patient-reported outcome questionnaires) and nutritional parameters (body fat, energy and macronutrient intake) were assessed.

RESULTS

The study population spent little time in vigorous PA. BMI on admission and discharge was higher when more time was spent in sedentary behaviour, and lower with more time spent in light PA. Relationships between PA and patient-reported outcomes were weak and limited to an association between vigorous PA and compulsiveness. Low fat mass was associated with more time spent in light PA, while subjects with higher step counts showed less intake of energy, carbohydrates and fat.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between inadequate food intake and increased PA in patients with AN requires further investigation.

Assessment of Physical Activity Patterns in Adolescent Patients with Anorexia Nervosa and Their Effect on Weight Gain

(1) Background: Altered physical activity (PA) affects weight recovery in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients. The study aimed to objectively characterize PA patterns and their effect on weight trajectory in adolescent AN patients. (2) Methods: PA was assessed in 47 patients on admission to inpatient treatment, in n = 25 of these patients again 4 weeks after discharge (follow-up, FU), as well as in 20 adolescent healthy controls using the Sense Wear™ armband. The following PA categories were defined by metabolic equivalent (MET) ranges: sedentary behavior (SB), light (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA), and high-level PA (HLPA= MPA + VPA). (3) Results: LPA on admission was significantly higher in AN patients than in controls (103 vs. 55 min/d, p < 0.001), and LPA in AN decreased over time to 90 min/d (p = 0.006). Patients with higher admission LPA (n = 12) still had elevated LPA at FU (p = 0.003). High admission LPA was associated with a higher inpatient BMI percentage gain (ΔBMI%; 18.2% ± 10.0% vs. 12.0% ± 9.7%, p = 0.037) but with a loss of ΔBMI% at FU (-2.3% ± 3.6% vs. 0.8% ± 3.6%, p = 0.045). HLPA at baseline was associated with a lower inpatient ΔBMI% (p = 0.045). (4) Conclusion: Elevated LPA in AN patients decreased after inpatient treatment, and PA patterns had an impact on weight trajectory.

A longitudinal analysis of cytokines in anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE

Inflammation has been proposed to have a pathophysiological role in anorexia nervosa (AN) and to contribute to the maintenance of the disorder. Longitudinal cytokine research in AN has focused on only a few pro-inflammatory cytokines. We assessed a broad range of cytokines over time in people undergoing specialised treatment for AN.

METHOD

We measured serum concentrations of 27 cytokines in people with AN (n = 23). Body mass index (BMI), eating disorder (ED) symptoms and general psychopathology were assessed and blood samples were collected within four weeks of the commencement of specialised ED treatment (baseline) and at 12- and 24-week follow-ups.

RESULTS

Both BMI and ED symptoms improved over the assessment period. Linear mixed models showed that log IL-6 decreased between baseline and week 12 assessments. By week 12, log IL-6 values were comparable to levels in healthy individuals. Log IL-7 increased from week 12 to week 24.

DISCUSSION

Initially elevated IL-6 serum concentrations appear to 'normalize' during the first 3-months of specialised treatment for AN and this co-occurs with improvements in ED symptoms. Therefore, IL-6 has the potential to be a state biomarker for AN.

Increased urge for movement, physical and mental restlessness, fundamental symptoms of restricting anorexia nervosa?

OBJECTIVE

Continued mobility in the presence of severe weight loss is a well known, yet insufficiently researched characteristic of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study was designed to assess the prevalence of the drive for activity, here operationalized as an increased urge for movement, physical restlessness, and mental restlessness.

METHOD

Participants were 83 female consecutively admitted adolescent patients qualifying for a diagnosis of AN (ICD-10), restricting subtype. Information collected included responses to a questionnaire inquiring retrospectively about physical and psychological reactions after significant weight loss (on average 12.5 kg) and to measures of psychiatric and eating disorder pathology and exercise behaviors at hospital admission.

RESULTS

Over 80% of AN patients reported experiencing, at least partly, either, an increased urge for movement, physical or mental restlessness after significant weight loss. Altogether 95.1% reported, at least partly, one or a combination of two or all three symptoms. The sensations coexisted with equally high levels of fatigue and loss of energy, typically observed in starvation. The increased urge for movement and physical restlessness were foremost associated with reported actual physical activity and with weight loss. By contrast, mental restlessness was strongly linked to the degree of eating disorder pathology and to the severity of psychiatric symptoms.

DISCUSSION

This is the first investigation of the presence of an increased urge for movement, physical restlessness, and mental restlessness after significant weight loss in patients with acute AN. The symptoms, given their high frequency and specificity, are likely pathogenic for AN and, if replicated, deserve to be considered for inclusion as diagnostic criteria for AN.

Physical Activity in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review

Abnormally high levels of physical activity have been documented throughout the literature in patients with eating disorders (ED), especially those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN). Yet no clear definition, conceptualization, or treatment of the problematic use of physical activity (PPA) in ED patients exists. The aim of this review is to propose a new classification of PPA, report the prevalence, triggers, predictors, maintainers and other related factors of PPA in ED patients, in addition to proposing a comprehensive model of the development of PPA in AN. A total of 47 articles, retrieved from Medline and Web of Science, met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. As a result, the new approach of PPA was divided into two groups (group 1 and group 2) according to the dimension (quantitative vs qualitative approach) of physical activity that was evaluated. The prevalence of PPA in ED was reported in 20 out of 47 studies, the comparison of PPA between ED versus controls in 21 articles, and the links between PPA and psychological factors in ED in 26 articles, including depression (16/26), anxiety (13/26), obsessive–compulsiveness (9/26), self-esteem (4/26), addictiveness (1/26), regulation and verbal expression of emotions (1/26) and anhedonia (1/26). The links between PPA and ED symptomatology, PPA and weight, body mass index (BMI) and body composition in ED, PPA and age, onset, illness duration and lifetime activity status in ED, PPA and ED treatment outcome were reported in 18, 15, 7, 5 articles, respectively. All of the factors have been systematically clustered into group 1 and group 2. Results focused more on AN rather than BN due to the limited studies on the latter. Additionally, a model for the development of PPA in AN patients was proposed, encompassing five periods evolving into three clinical stages. Thus, two very opposite components of PPA in AN were suggested: voluntarily PPA increased in AN was viewed as a conscious strategy to maximize weight loss, while involuntarily PPA increased proportionally with weight-loss, indicating that exercise might be under the control of a subconscious biological drive and involuntary cognition.

Testing an emotion regulation model of physical activity in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: A pilot ecological momentary assessment

OBJECTIVE

Adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) often show increased levels of exercise and physical activity. Psychological models suggest that physical activity in AN might attenuate momentary negative affect. However, this has not been directly tested in adolescents with AN, and it remains unclear whether this is a distinct mechanism of physical activity in AN compared with healthy controls (HCs).

METHOD

In a 1-day ecological momentary assessment, 32 adolescent inpatients with AN and 30 HCs responded to hourly questions on momentary affect while wearing an actigraph to objectively assess physical activity.

RESULTS

Linear mixed models identified that adolescents with AN experienced more aversive tension, more negative affect, and less positive affect throughout the day than HCs. Preliminary evidence for a momentary association of higher levels of physical activity with positive affect were found for both groups, whereas higher levels of physical activity were associated with less negative affect in adolescents with AN only. When correcting for multiple testing, interactions did not hold statistical significance.

DISCUSSION

Our results indicate a down-regulation effect of physical activity on negative affect for AN and a more general up-regulation effect of positive affect. However, our sample size was small, and replication of our findings is needed.

Moving beyond self-report data collection in the natural environment: A review of the past and future directions for ambulatory assessment in eating disorders

OBJECTIVE

In recent years, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has been used to repeatedly assess eating disorder (ED) symptoms in naturalistic settings, which has allowed for increased understanding of temporal processes that potentiate ED behaviors. However, there remain notable limitations of self-report EMA, and with the rapid proliferation of technology there are ever-increasing possibilities to improve ambulatory assessment methods to further the understanding and treatment of EDs. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to (a) systematically review the studies in EDs that have utilized ambulatory assessment methods other than self-report, and (b) provide directions for future research and clinical applications.

METHOD

A systematic literature search of electronic databases was conducted, and data regarding study characteristics and methodological quality were extracted.

RESULTS

The search identified 17 studies that used ambulatory assessment methods to gather objective data, and focused primarily on autonomic functioning, physical activity, and cognitive processes in ED and control groups.

DISCUSSION

Together the literature demonstrates the promise of using a range of ecologically valid ambulatory assessment approaches in EDs, though there remains limited research that has utilized methods other than self-report (e.g., wearable sensors), particularly in recent years. Going forward, there are several technology-enhanced momentary assessment methods that have potential to improve the understanding and treatment of EDs.

Accuracy of self-reported physical activity in patients with anorexia nervosa: links with clinical features

BACKGROUND

High levels of physical activity (PA) have long been described in patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Despite the importance of measuring PA in this population, there are two important factors that remain unknown. First, it is not clear how accurate self-report measures of PA are among patients. Second, little is known about how clinical characteristics are associated with the accuracy of self-reported PA. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the accuracy of self-reported PA compared to an objective measure of PA in patients with AN. It also investigated whether levels of accuracy/inaccuracy were associated with compulsive exercise, motivation to change, and psychological distress.

METHOD

Data were analysed from 34 adult outpatients with AN. Patients wore an accelerometer device (ActiGraph) for 4 days and completed a retrospective self-report measure of exercise (Exercise Participation Screening Questionnaire). They also completed measures of compulsive exercise (Compulsive Exercise Test), motivation to change (The Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire), and psychological distress (Kessler-10).

RESULTS

On the self-report measure, patients accurately reported their time spent in moderate and vigorous intensity PA, however, they significantly under-reported their light physical activity (compared to the accelerometer data). Accurate reporting of total PA was positively associated with higher levels of compulsive exercise. There was evidence to suggest that clinical features, such as motivation to change and psychological distress, may be associated with inaccurate reporting at some levels of PA intensity and not others.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that patients with AN are likely to under-report their light intensity PA. We also found preliminary evidence for how compulsive exercise, motivation to change, and distress are associated with self-reported PA accuracy. Clinical implications and directions for future research are considered.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ACTRN12610000585022. Taking a LEAP forward in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a randomized controlled trial. NHMRC grant: 634922.

Autonomic Nervous System Response during Light Physical Activity in Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa Measured by Wearable Devices

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with a wide range of disturbances of the autonomic nervous system. The aim of the present study was to monitor the heart rate (HR) and the heart rate variability (HRV) during light physical activity in a group of adolescent girls with AN and in age-matched controls using a wearable, minimally obtrusive device. For the study, we enrolled a sample of 23 adolescents with AN and 17 controls. After performing a 12-lead electrocardiogram and echocardiography, we used a wearable device to record a one-lead electrocardiogram for 5 min at baseline for 5 min during light physical exercise (Task) and for 5 min during recovery. From the recording, we extracted HR and HRV indices. Among subjects with AN, the HR increased at task and decreased at recovery, whereas among controls it did not change between the test phases. HRV features showed a different trend between the two groups, with an increased low-to-high frequency ratio (LF/HF) in the AN group due to increased LF and decreased HF, differently from controls that, otherwise, slightly increased their standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN) and the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). The response in the AN group during the task as compared to that of healthy adolescents suggests a possible sympathetic activation or parasympathetic withdrawal, differently from controls. This result could be related to the low energy availability associated to the excessive loss of fat and lean mass in subjects with AN, that could drive to autonomic imbalance even during light physical activity.

Clinical Trials Required to Assess Potential Benefits and Side Effects of Treatment of Patients With Anorexia Nervosa With Recombinant Human Leptin

The core phenotype of anorexia nervosa (AN) comprises the age and stage dependent intertwining of both its primary and secondary (i.e., starvation induced) somatic and mental symptoms. Hypoleptinemia acts as a key trigger for the adaptation to starvation by affecting diverse brain regions including the reward system and by induction of alterations of the hypothalamus-pituitary-“target-organ” axes, e.g., resulting in amenorrhea as a characteristic symptom of AN. Particularly, the rat model activity-based anorexia (ABA) convincingly demonstrates the pivotal role of hypoleptinemia in the development of starvation-induced hyperactivity. STAT3 signaling in dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) plays a crucial role in the transmission of the leptin signal in ABA. In patients with AN, an inverted U-shaped relationship has been observed between their serum leptin levels and physical activity. Albeit obese and therewith of a very different phenotype, humans diagnosed with rare congenital leptin deficiency have starvation like symptoms including hypothalamic amenorrhea in females. Over the past 20 years, such patients have been successfully treated with recombinant human (rh) leptin (metreleptin) within a compassionate use program. The extreme hunger of these patients subsides within hours upon initiation of treatment; substantial weight loss and menarche in females ensue after medium term treatment. In contrast, metreleptin had little effect in patients with multifactorial obesity. Small clinical trials have been conducted for hypothalamic amenorrhea and to increase bone mineral density, in which metreleptin proved beneficial. Up to now, metreleptin has not yet been used to treat patients with AN. Metreleptin has been approved by the FDA under strict regulations solely for the treatment of generalized lipodystrophy. The recent approval by the EMA may offer, for the first time, the possibility to treat extremely hyperactive patients with AN off-label. Furthermore, a potential dissection of hypoleptinemia-induced AN symptoms from the primary cognitions and behaviors of these patients could ensue. Accordingly, the aim of this article is to review the current state of the art of leptin in relation to AN to provide the theoretical basis for the initiation of clinical trials for treatment of this eating disorder.

Novel approaches for the assessment of relative body weight and body fat in diagnosis and treatment of anorexia nervosa: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychosomatic disease that seriously affects nutritional status. Therapeutic approaches primarily aim for rapid weight restoration by high caloric diets and activity restriction. This often promotes abdominal body fat gain, which potentially negatively influences the patient's compliance and increases the risk of relapse. This study focused on the evaluation of body weight and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in AN patients by novel approaches.

METHODS

The SAT of AN patients (n = 18, body mass index (BMI) 15.3 ± 1.3 kg/m²) was determined by a highly accurate and reliable ultrasound method. The sum of SAT thicknesses of eight sites (D_INCL) was calculated. Individual metabolic profiles were analyzed. The mass index (MI), which considers body proportions, was used in addition to BMI. Additional to the standard laboratory diagnostics, dermal carotenoids measured by resonance Raman spectroscopy, leptin, and oxidative stress indicators were determined.

RESULTS

The mean MI was 15.7 ± 1.4 kg/m². The D_INCL considerably differed between individuals with the same BMI. Half of the patients (Group 1) had low D_INCL: 1.3-28.4 mm, and Group 2 showed values up to 58.2 mm (corresponding to approximately 6 kg SAT mass). The two group means differed by more than 300% (P < 0.001). Accordingly, leptin levels significantly differed (P < 0.001). Mean SAT thicknesses were significantly higher in Group 2 at all eight sites. The groups also significantly differed in two oxidative stress parameters: total antioxidative capacity, malondialdehyde-modified low density lipoprotein immunoglobulin M (MDA-LDL IgM), and in the carotenoid level.

CONCLUSION

Half of the patients had sufficiently high fat mass, despite very low BMI. Consequently, their muscle (and other organ) masses must have been extremely low. Diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols for AN should consider each patient's body composition. In addition to dietary treatments, muscle training at low energy turnover rates may be essential for avoiding unnecessary body fat gain, better treatment results, and long-term recovery.

Not the Function of Eating, but Spontaneous Activity and Energy Expenditure, Reflected in "Restlessness" and a "Drive for Activity" Appear to Be Dysregulated in Anorexia Nervosa: Treatment Implications

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is uncommon as a syndrome, despite widespread dieting or voluntary food restriction, especially among female adolescents. This suggests that restriction of caloric intake might not be the only component driving weight loss in AN. Historical observations and experimental evidence from energy expenditure studies and recordings from movement sensors reviewed in this paper reveal that AN is associated with motor activity levels and with an energy output not significantly different from that in normal-weight healthy age-matched controls. By contrast, other conditions of prolonged caloric under-nutrition are typically associated with loss of energy, slowing of movements and a decrease in self-initiated activity and well-being. Several hypotheses can be inferred from the findings: (a) that long term severe caloric restriction fails in downregulating movements and energy expenditure in AN. (b) Clinically and subjectively observable as mental and physical restlessness and continued motor activity, this restless energy, differing in intensity, seems to serve as the permissive factor for and possibly to drive exercise and hyperactivity in AN. (c) Such restless energy and increased arousal, generated sometime in the course of the weight loss process, appear to enhance the person's self-perception and wellbeing, to heighten proprioception, to intensify body awareness and to improve self-esteem. (d) Restlessness and continued motor activity may constitute a phenotype of AN. The therapeutic value of the concept of an abnormality in the energy regulatory system, likely the result of a host of genetic and epigenetic changes in AN, lies primarily in its heuristic and explanatory power and its potential for disease prevention. Restless energy as a permissive and important component for the development and in the maintenance of AN, does not fundamentally alter treatment, since prolonged food deprivation is the principal causal factor for the development of AN. Re-nutrition within a structured treatment plan, to include individual and family therapy and, if indicated, heat application, remains the most effective symptomatic treatment for AN. Corroboration of the concept of restless activation will require the patient's cooperation and input to identify and capture more precisely the experiences, sensations, and changes that allow the emaciated patient to remain mobile and active.

Inflammatory Markers in Anorexia Nervosa: An Exploratory Study

Inflammation has been suggested to play a pathophysiological role in anorexia nervosa (AN). In this exploratory cross-sectional study, we measured serum concentrations of 40 inflammatory markers (including cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in people with AN (n = 27) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 13). Many of these inflammatory markers had not been previously quantified in people with AN. Eating disorder (ED) and general psychopathology symptoms were assessed. Body mass index (BMI) and body composition data were obtained. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15, and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 concentrations were significantly elevated and concentrations of BDNF, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-β, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A were significantly lower in AN participants compared to HCs. Age, BMI, and percentage body fat mass were identified as potential confounding variables for several of these inflammatory markers. Of particular interest is that most of the quantified markers were unchanged in people with AN, despite them being severely underweight with evident body fat loss, and having clinically significant ED symptoms and severe depression and anxiety symptoms. Future research should examine the replicability of our findings and consider the effect of additional potential confounding variables, such as smoking and physical activity, on the relationship between AN and inflammation.

The Role of Objectively Measured, Altered Physical Activity Patterns for Body Mass Index Change during Inpatient Treatment in Female Patients with Anorexia Nervosa

Increased physical activity (PA) affects outcomes in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). To objectively assess PA patterns of hospitalized AN patients in comparison with healthy, outpatient controls (HC), and to analyze the effect of PA on Body Mass Index (BMI) change in patients with AN, we measured PA in 50 female patients with AN (median age = 25 years, range = 18–52 years; mean BMI = 14.4 ± 2.0 kg/m²) at the initiation of inpatient treatment and in 30 female healthy controls (median age = 26 years, range = 19–53 years; mean BMI = 21.3 ± 1.7 kg/m²) using the SenseWear™ armband. Duration of inpatient stay and weight at discharge were abstracted from medical records. Compared with controls, AN patients spent more time in very light-intensity physical activity (VLPA) (median VLPA = 647 vs. 566 min/day, p = 0.004) and light-intensity physical activity (LPA) (median LPA = 126 vs. 84 min/day, p < 0.001) and less time in moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) (median MPA = 82 vs. 114 min/day, p = 0.022) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) (median VPA = 0 vs. 16 min/day, p < 0.001). PA and BMI increase were not associated in a linear model, and BMI increase was mostly explained by lower admission BMI and longer inpatient stay. In a non-linear model, an influence of PA on BMI increase seemed probable (jack knife validation, r² = 0.203; p < 0.001). No direct association was observed between physical inactivity and BMI increase in AN. An altered PA pattern exists in AN patients compared to controls, yet the origin and consequences thereof deserve further investigation.

Self-reported quantity, compulsiveness and motives of exercise in patients with eating disorders and healthy controls: differences and similarities

BACKGROUND

Compulsive exercise (CE) is a frequent symptom in patients with eating disorders (EDs). It includes, in addition to quantitatively excessive exercise behaviour, a driven aspect and specific motives of exercise. CE is generally associated with worse therapy outcomes. The aims of the study were to compare self-reported quantity of exercise, compulsiveness of exercise as well as motives for exercise between patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and healthy controls (HC). Additionally, we wanted to explore predictors of compulsive exercise (CE) in each group.

METHODS

We investigated 335 female participants (n = 226 inpatients, n = 109 HC) and assessed self-reported quantity of exercise, compulsiveness of exercise (Compulsive Exercise Test), motives for exercise (Exercise Motivations Inventory-2), ED symptoms (Eating Disorder Inventory-2), obsessive-compulsiveness (Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised), general psychopathology (Brief Symptom Inventory-18) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-2).

RESULTS

Both patients with AN and BN exercised significantly more hours per week and showed significantly higher CE than HC; no differences were found between patients with AN and BN. Patients with EDs and HC also partly varied in motives for exercise. Specific motives were enjoyment, challenge, recognition and weight management in patients with EDs in contrast to ill-health avoidance and affiliation in HC. Patients with AN and BN only differed in regard to exercise for appearance reasons in which patients with BN scored higher. The most relevant predictor of CE across groups was exercise for weight and shape reasons.

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise behaviours and motives differ between patients with EDs and HC. CE was pronounced in both patients with AN and BN. Therefore, future research should focus not only on CE in patients with AN, but also on CE in patients with BN. Similarities in CE in patients with AN and BN support a transdiagnostic approach during the development of interventions specifically targeting CE in patients with EDs.

An investigation of the process of change in psychopathology and exercise during inpatient treatment for adults with longstanding eating disorders

BACKGROUND

Excessive exercise is recognized as a predictor of poor outcome in eating disorders. However, little is known about how excessive exercise might affect the treatment process. The aim of this study was to describe process of weekly changes in eating disorder psychopathology, general psychopathology and exercise, and the possible interactive effects of excessive exercise on these changes during inpatient treatment of longstanding eating disorders.

METHODS

Eighty-four patients meeting the DSM-IV criteria for Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified received inpatient cognitive-behavioural therapy including, physical activity and nutritional counselling treatment over 12 weeks. Excessive exercise was defined as having ≥6 episodes of driven exercise during week 1 of treatment. Excessive exercisers received one additional session of individual counseling with the clinical exercise physiologist. The study used repeated measurements during treatment and collected measures of eating disorders: psychopathology (EDE-Q), general psychopathology (SCL-5), and frequencies of exercise and body mass index (BMI). Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA.

RESULTS

Both eating disorders and general psychopathology were reduced from admission to discharge in excessive exercisers and non-exercisers. There was an overall interaction effect between time (week) and excessive exercise for the process of exercise and eating disorders psychopathology reduction. This interaction effect was also found in week 10 vs 11 regarding general psychopathology. The excessive exercisers showed steep reduction at first, followed by a smaller increase towards the end of treatment in both eating disorder and general psychopathology; this pattern was not found among the non-exercisers.

CONCLUSION

The process of change in exercise and psychopathology during inpatient treatment of longstanding eating disorders differs across excessive and non-excessive exercisers. Although excessive exercisers were given special attention for their exercise cognition and behavior during treatment, it is apparent that this part of treatment must be further developed.

Virtual reality jogging as a novel exposure paradigm for the acute urge to be physically active in patients with eating disorders: Implications for treatment

The acute urge to be physically active is a relevant clinical phenomenon in patients suffering from eating disorders. In this study with n = 20 female patients with anorexia nervosa and n = 10 female patients with bulimia nervosa, a virtual reality (VR) jogging paradigm was applied as a novel highly immersive 3D exposure paradigm. Patients were asked to rate their acute urge to be physically active during the exposure procedure. A 10-item self-report questionnaire (smQ) was developed to capture the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of the acute urge to move. We hypothesized that exposure would lead to habituation of the urge to be physically active. We also hypothesized that leptin levels would be associated with the degree of the subjective urge to be physically active, while habituation would be associated with a decrease in stress hormones (α-amylase, cortisol, and cortisone in saliva). A statistically significant change in subjective scores in the smQ from baseline to postexposure was seen. Our novel VR paradigm may serve as a therapeutic tool for exposure and habituation of the urge of acutely engaging in physical activity in patients with eating disorders.

Treatment of anorexia nervosa: a multimethod investigation translating experimental neuroscience into clinical practice

Background

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychiatric condition and evidence on how to best treat it is limited.

Objectives

This programme consists of seven integrated work packages (WPs) and aims to develop and test disseminable and cost-effective treatments to optimise management for people with AN across all stages of illness.

Methods

WP1a used surveys, focus groups and a pre–post trial to develop and evaluate a training programme for school staff on eating disorders (EDs). WP1b used a randomised controlled trial (RCT) [International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 42594993] to evaluate a prevention programme for EDs in schools. WP2a evaluated an inpatient treatment for AN using case reports, interviews and a quasi-experimental trial. WP2b used a RCT (ISRCTN67720902) to evaluate two outpatient psychological therapies for AN. WP3 used a RCT (ISRCTN06149665) to evaluate an intervention for carers of inpatients with AN. WP4 used actimetry, self-report and endocrine assessment to examine physical activity (PA) in AN. WP5 conducted a RCT (ISRCTN18274621) of an e-mail-guided relapse prevention programme for inpatients with AN. WP6 analysed cohort data to examine the effects of maternal EDs on fertility and their children’s diet and growth. WP7a examined clinical case notes to explore how access to specialist ED services affects care pathways and user experiences. Finally, WP7b used data from this programme and the British Cohort Study (1970) to identify the costs of services used by people with AN and to estimate annual costs of AN for England.

Results

WP1a: a brief training programme improved knowledge, attitudes and confidence of school staff in managing EDs in school. WP1b: a teacher-delivered intervention was feasible and improved risk factors for EDs in adolescent girls. WP2a: both psychological therapies improved outcomes in outpatients with AN similarly, but patients preferred one of the treatments. WP2b: the inpatient treatment (Cognitive Remediation and Emotional Skills Training) was acceptable with perceived benefits by patients, but showed no benefits compared with treatment as usual (TAU). WP3: compared with TAU, the carer intervention improved a range of patient and carer outcomes, including carer burden and patient ED symptomatology. WP4: drive to exercise is tied to ED pathology and a desire to improve mood in AN patients. PA was not increased in these patients. WP5: compared with TAU, the e-mail-guided relapse prevention programme resulted in higher body mass index and lower distress in patients at 12 months after discharge. WP6: women with an ED had impaired fertility and their children had altered dietary and growth patterns compared with the children of women without an ED. WP7a: direct access to specialist ED services was associated with higher referral rates, lower admission rates, greater consistency of care and user satisfaction. WP7b: the annual costs of AN in England are estimated at between £45M and £230M for 2011.

Conclusions

This programme has produced evidence to inform future intervention development and has developed interventions that can be disseminated to improve outcomes for individuals with AN. Directions for future research include RCTs with longer-term outcomes and sufficient power to examine mediators and moderators of change.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN42594993, ISRCTN67720902, ISRCTN06149665 and ISRCTN18274621.

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and will be published in full inProgramme Grants for Applied Research; Vol. 5, No. 16. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Validity of Exercise Measures in Adults with Anorexia Nervosa: The EDE, Compulsive Exercise Test and Other Self-Report Scales

OBJECTIVE

Compulsive exercise is a prominent feature for the majority of patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), but there is a dearth of research evaluating assessment instruments. This study assessed the concurrent validity of the exercise items of the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) and Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), with the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) and other self-report exercise measures in patients with AN. We also aimed to perform validation of the CET in an adult clinical sample.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 78 adults with AN, recruited for the randomized controlled trial "Taking a LEAP forward in the treatment of anorexia nervosa." At baseline, participants completed the EDE, EDE-Q, CET, Reasons for Exercise Inventory (REI), Commitment to Exercise Scale (CES) and Exercise Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ). Correlational and regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

EDE exercise days and exercise time per day were positively correlated with each other and with all CET subscales (except Lack of exercise enjoyment), CES mean, EBQ total and REI total. Exercise time per day was associated with a higher EDE global score. The CET demonstrated good concurrent validity with the CES, the REI and the EBQ. Of the self-reports, the CET explained the greatest variance in eating disorder psychopathology and demonstrated good to excellent reliability in this sample.

DISCUSSION

The EDE and EDE-Q demonstrated good concurrent validity with the CET. Further research is required to evaluate the CET's factor structure in a large clinical sample. However, the CET has demonstrated strong clinical utility in adult patients with AN. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:533-541).

Group Qigong for Adolescent Inpatients with Anorexia Nervosa: Incentives and Barriers

Background

Qigong is a mind-body intervention focusing on interoceptive awareness that appears to be a promising approach in anorexia nervosa (AN). In 2008, as part of our multidimensional treatment program for adolescent inpatients with AN, we began a weekly qigong workshop that turned out to be popular among our adolescent patients. Moreover psychiatrists perceived clinical benefits that deserved further exploration.

Methods and findings

A qualitative study therefore sought to obtain a deeper understanding of how young patients with severe AN experience qigong and to determine the incentives and barriers to adherence to qigong, to understanding its meaning, and to applying it in other contexts. Data were collected through 16 individual semi-structured face-to-face interviews and analyzed with the interpretative phenomenological analysis method. Eleven themes emerged from the analysis, categorized in 3 superordinate themes describing the incentives and barriers related to the patients themselves (individual dimension), to others (relational dimension), and to the setting (organizational dimension). Individual dimensions associated with AN (such as excessive exercise and mind-body cleavage) may curb adherence, whereas relational and organizational dimensions appear to provide incentives to join the activity in the first place but may also limit its post-discharge continuation. Once barriers are overcome, patients reported positive effects: satisfaction associated with relaxation and with the experience of mind-body integration.

Conclusions

Qigong appears to be an interesting therapeutic tool that may potentiate psychotherapy and contribute to the recovery process of patients with AN. Further analysis of the best time window for initiating qigong and of its place in overall management might help to overcome some of the barriers, limit the risks, and maximize its benefits.

Evidence that Illness-Compatible Cues Are Rewarding in Women Recovered from Anorexia Nervosa: A Study of the Effects of Dopamine Depletion on Eye-Blink Startle Responses

In anorexia nervosa (AN), motivational salience is attributed to illness-compatible cues (e.g., underweight and active female bodies) and this is hypothesised to involve dopaminergic reward circuitry. We investigated the effects of reducing dopamine (DA) transmission on the motivational processing of AN-compatible cues in women recovered from AN (AN REC, n = 17) and healthy controls (HC, n = 15). This involved the acute phenylalanine and tyrosine depletion (APTD) procedure and a startle eye-blink modulation (SEM) task. In a balanced amino acid state, AN REC showed an increased appetitive response (decreased startle potentiation) to illness-compatible cues (underweight and active female body pictures (relative to neutral and non-active cues, respectively)). The HC had an aversive response (increased startle potentiation) to the same illness-compatible stimuli (relative to neutral cues). Importantly, these effects, which may be taken to resemble symptoms observed in the acute stage of illness and healthy behaviour respectively, were not present when DA was depleted. Thus, AN REC implicitly appraised underweight and exercise cues as more rewarding than did HC and the process may, in part, be DA-dependent. It is proposed that the positive motivational salience attributed to cues of emaciation and physical activity is, in part, mediated by dopaminergic reward processes and this contributes to illness pathology. These observations are consistent with the proposal that, in AN, aberrant reward-based learning contributes to the development of habituation of AN-compatible behaviours.

The reinforcing effect of exercise in anorexia nervosa: Clinical correlates and relationship to outcome

The purpose of the current study was to examine the relative reinforcing effect of exercise compared to a non-monetary alternative reinforcer (leisure activity), and to money, before and after weight restoration in an inpatient population with anorexia nervosa (AN). Sixty-two inpatients with AN completed a progressive ratio (PR) task to earn exercise, leisure activities, or cash at low weight and after weight restoration. Measures of pathology and motivation to exercise were completed and post-treatment discharge weights were collected. Patients worked harder for exercise at low weight than after weight restoration (df = 46, t = 5.50, p < .001). PR task performance was weakly associated with a measure of commitment to exercise (low weight: r = 0.31, weight restored: r = 0.36, p < .05), but not with other clinical measures or follow-up weights. Contrary to prior suggestions, measurement of the reinforcing value of exercise among individuals with AN via a PR task does not appear valuable in assessing clinical severity or outcome. Other, simpler, self-report measures of commitment to exercise may have greater value in assessing these outcomes.

Behavioral and psychological aspects of exercise across stages of eating disorder recovery

This study examined the relationship between behavioral and psychological aspects of exercise and eating disorder recovery. Participants were categorized as having an eating disorder (n = 53), partially recovered (n = 15), fully recovered (n = 20), or non-eating disorder controls (n = 67). Groups did not differ significantly in time spent exercising, but did differ in exercise intensity, guilt-related exercise, obsessive exercise cognitions, and appearance/weight management and stress/mood management motivations for exercise. Results support the importance of measuring psychological aspects of exercise in particular across the course of an eating disorder.

Physical activity and post-treatment weight trajectory in anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE

This study compared an objective measurement of physical activity (PA) in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) at low-weight, weight-restored, and post-treatment time points, and also compared PA in AN with that of healthy controls (HC).

METHOD

Sixty-one female inpatients with AN wore a novel accelerometer (the IDEEA) which measured PA at three time points: a) low-weight, b) weight-restored, and c) one month post-hospital discharge. Twenty-four HCs wore the IDEEA at one time point.

RESULTS

Inpatients with AN became more physically active than they were at low-weight at weight restoration and following treatment discharge. Post-treatment patients with AN were more physically active than HCs during the day and less active at night, which was primarily accounted for by amount of time spent on feet, including standing and walking. Greater time spent on feet during the weight-restoration time point of inpatient treatment was associated with more rapid decrease in BMI over the 12 months following treatment discharge. Fidgeting did not differ between patients and controls, did not change with weight restoration, and did not predict post-treatment weight change.

DISCUSSION

Use of a novel accelerometer demonstrated greater PA in AN than in HC. PA following weight restoration in AN, particularly time spent in standing postures, may contribute to weight loss in the year following hospitalization. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:482-489).

The Effects of Acute Dopamine Precursor Depletion on the Reinforcing Value of Exercise in Anorexia Nervosa

This study investigated whether dopaminergic systems are involved in the motivation to engage in behaviours associated with anorexia nervosa (AN), specifically, the drive to exercise. Women recovered from AN (AN REC, n = 17) and healthy controls (HC, n = 15) were recruited. The acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion (APTD) method was used to transiently decrease dopamine synthesis and transmission. The effect of dopamine precursor depletion on drive to exercise was measured using a progressive ratio (PR) exercise breakpoint task. Both groups worked for the opportunity to exercise, and, at baseline, PR breakpoint scores were higher in AN REC than HC. Compared to values on the experimental control session, APTD did not decrease PR breakpoint scores in AN REC, but significantly decreased scores in HC. These data show that women recovered from AN are more motivated to exercise than HC, although in both groups, activity is more reinforcing than inactivity. Importantly, decreasing dopamine does not reduce the motivation to exercise in people recovered from AN, but in contrast, does so in HC. It is proposed that in AN, drive to exercise develops into a behaviour that is largely independent of dopamine mediated reward processes and becomes dependent on cortico-striatal neurocircuitry that regulates automated, habit- or compulsive-like behaviours. These data strengthen the case for the involvement of reward, learning, habit, and dopaminergic systems in the aetiology of AN.

Problematic Exercise in Anorexia Nervosa: Testing Potential Risk Factors against Different Definitions

“Hyperactivity” has a wide prevalence range of 31% to 80% in the anorexia nervosa literature that could be partly due to the plethora of definitions provided by researchers in this field. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) To assess the variance across prevalence rates of problematic exercise encountered in patients with anorexia nervosa, in relation to seven different definitions found in the literature. 2) To examine how core eating disorder symptoms and the dimensions of emotional profile are associated with these different definitions and the impact of these definitions on the assessment of patients’ quality of life. Exercise was evaluated in terms of duration, intensity, type and compulsion using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 180 women suffering from severe anorexia nervosa. Seven different definitions of problematic exercise were identified in the literature: three entailing a single dimension of problematic exercise (duration, compulsion or intensity) and four combining these different dimensions. Emotional profile scores, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, eating disorder symptomatology, worries and concerns about body shape, self-esteem and quality of life were assessed using several established questionnaires. The prevalence of problematic exercise varied considerably from, 5% to 54%, depending on the number of criteria used for its definition. The type and level of eating disorder symptomatology was found to be associated with several definitions of problematic exercise. Surprisingly, a better self-reported quality of life was found among problematic exercisers compared to non-problematic exercisers in three of the definitions. The different definitions of problematic exercise explain the broad prevalence ranges and the conflicting associations generally reported in the literature between problematic exercise and eating disorder-related psychological parameters. There is an urgent need for a valid consensus on the definition of problematic exercise in anorexia nervosa. This will support the development of further research on the etiology and treatment of problematic exercise.

High Levels of Physical Activity in Anorexia Nervosa: A Systematic Review

High level physical activity is a frequent symptom in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), influencing the development, maintenance, complications, treatment success, relapse rate and severity of the disease. Accelerometry is assumed to be an objective method to assess physical activity (PA) in AN. We aimed to review objectively measured levels of PA in AN and to give an overview for clinical practice and future research. Data were searched in PubMed and PsychINFO until April 2015 following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement. Twenty studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A notable heterogeneity of measurements, outcomes, participants and settings was found. Overall, HLPA is not adressed enough by current evidence. A common valid terminology of HLPA is not available, and accurate criteria of different levels of PA must be defined to create comparability of future studies. Further objective PA assessments are needed to improve treatment outcome and relapse rate.

Body Image and Nutritional Status Are Associated with Physical Activity in Men and Women: The ELSA-Brasil Study

The association of body image dissatisfaction and obesity with physical activity is likely to differ according to gender. To investigate this hypothesis, we conducted a cross-sectional study among the ELSA-Brasil cohort members aged 34-65 years (n=13,286). The body image dissatisfaction was present even among normal weight individuals of both sexes and was associated with lesser chances of practicing moderate physical activity in women and intense physical activity in men. Men and women with central obesity were less prone to practice physical activity of high or moderate intensity. Overweight and obese men were more likely to report vigorous physical activity while obese women were less likely to report this level of physical activity. Body images as well as nutritional status are related to physical activity in both sexes, but the association with physical activity differs by gender.