Behavioral and Psychophysiological Responsiveness During Child Feeding in Mothers with Histories of Eating Disorders: A Pilot Study.

The aim of this pilot project was to describe maternal responsiveness during child feeding in mothers with eating disorder histories through the combined use of observational, self-report, and physiologic methods. For this non-randomized cohort pilot study, 25 mothers with histories of eating disorders and 25 mothers with no history of an eating disorder with children ages 6-36 months were selected such that the groups were similar based on child age group (within 6 months) and child sex. Maternal behavioral responsiveness to child cues was assessed by video-recording and behavioral coding of both a free-play and feeding episode.

NURTURE: development and pilot testing of a novel parenting intervention for mothers with histories of an eating disorder.

Objective: To describe the treatment development and pilot testing of a group parenting intervention, NURTURE (Networking, Uniting, and Reaching out To Upgrade Relationships and Eating), for mothers with histories of eating disorders.

Method: Based on focus group findings, extant research, and expert opinion, NURTURE was designed to be delivered weekly over 16 (1.5 h) sessions via an interactive web conferencing forum.

A comparison of infant and toddler feeding practices of mothers with and without histories of eating disorders.

This preliminary study surveyed the feeding practices of mothers with eating disorder histories through evaluation of mothers' reported feeding styles, child diet composition and restrictive special approaches to feeding. For this non-randomised cohort study, 25 mothers with eating disorder histories and 25 mothers with no history of an eating disorder with children ages 6-36 months were selected such that the groups were similar based on child age group and child sex. Mothers were compared on self-reported feeding style using the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire and on child diet composition and special feeding approaches using a modified version of the Toddler Diet Questionnaire from the Women, Infants, and Children program.

Plasma, salivary, and urinary oxytocin in anorexia nervosa: a pilot study.

Although oxytocin (OT) has the potential to be an informative biomarker of social functioning in patients with eating disorders, the burden of invasive blood draws or lumbar punctures limits OT study. Salivary and urinary OT measurements may be advantageous, as they require less invasive sampling techniques which could be conducted in a wider variety of settings. Yet, the degree to which the concentration of OT in these fluids is correlated with blood levels is uncertain, as is the impact of vomiting on salivary secretion of OT.

Understanding the association of impulsivity, obsessions, and compulsions with binge eating and purging behaviours in anorexia nervosa.

Objective: To further refine our understanding of impulsivity, obsessions, and compulsions in anorexia nervosa (AN) by isolating which behaviours--binge eating, purging, or both--are associated with these features.

Methods: We conducted regression analyses with binge eating, purging, and the interaction of binge eating with purging as individual predictors of scores for impulsivity, obsessions, and compulsions in two samples of women with AN (n = 1373).

Results: Purging, but not binge eating, was associated with higher scores on impulsivity, obsessions, and compulsions.

Reproductive issues in anorexia nervosa.

Despite a high prevalence of menstrual irregularities, women with anorexia nervosa are becoming pregnant. The physical and psychological demands of pregnancy and motherhood can represent an immense challenge for women already struggling with the medical and psychological stress of an eating disorder. This article summarizes key issues related to reproduction in women with anorexia nervosa, highlighting the importance of preconception counseling, adequate gestational weight gain, and sufficient pre- and post-natal nutrition.

Unplanned pregnancy in women with anorexia nervosa.

Objective: To compare the frequency with which unplanned pregnancies occur in individuals with anorexia nervosa relative to women without eating disorders in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.

Method: In a sample of 62,060 women, 62 reported anorexia nervosa. Using data from a questionnaire completed by all participating mothers, we compared mother's age at birth and the frequency with which mothers reported their index pregnancy as being unplanned.