Nutritional assessment of college age women with bulimia
1986
Taylor, M.E. | Lawrence, R.W. | Allen, K.G.D.
Extract: Seventeen women, between the ages of 18 and 26, with a chronic history of bingeing and purging on a daily basis were compared to sex-matched control groups of the same age range and to "normal" reference values to assess their nutritional status. Anthropometric studies indicated the bulimics were 67 per cent of standard for triceps skinfold thickness, demonstrating moderately depleted fat reserves. Five (29 per cent) of the seventeen subjects were below the 5th percentile of triceps skinfold measurements. Somatic protein stores appeared to be adequate. The bulimics had significantly lowered serum globulin levels and total lymphocyte counts but increased serum transferrin and iron concentrations, compared to controls. There was a trend toward increased serum zinc and phosphorous and lowered white blood counts in the bulimic group. There was also a significantly decreased potassium value in the laxative abusers, but not the vomiter group. Vitamin supplementation did not appear to affect serum zinc, iron or transferrin status. The biochemical data of the bulimic group were still within "normal" ranges, despite some statistically significant differences from the control group. The practice of bulimia was not shown to be nutritionally traumatizing.(author)
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library
