Anorexia nervosa in 'non-white' populations

Br J Psychiatry. 1995 Sep;167(3):385-9. doi: 10.1192/bjp.167.3.385.

Abstract

Background: Comparisons were made between two groups of anorectic patients, 'non-white' and 'white', on a variety of clinical and social characteristics.

Method: The study is based on a 34-year long database (1960-93) associated with a national tertiary referral centre. Thirty-six non-white patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for anorexia nervosa (AN) and five with 'partial syndrome' are compared with a white group comprising 944 patients with full syndrome.

Results: The main finding is clinical similarity between the two groups, extending to social class and pathological patterns of family relationship. The non-whites are shorter in stature (P = 0.004) and report earlier menarche (P = 0.004); they are younger at presentation (P < 0.001), somewhat less emaciated, and practice veganism slightly more commonly; they less often acknowledge sensitivity to 'fatness' (P < 0.003). This sensitivity was exposed later whenever treatment involved substantial weight gain. The proportion of non-white cases accepted for assessment has not changed in respect of year of onset (around 6%) for the last 20 years, or year of presentation (around 6-7%) over the last 15 years. There was a tendency for non-white patients to be referred earlier in their illness.

Conclusions: The clinical and background profiles of non-white and white anorectics are generally similar. The numbers arising and presenting have not changed recently. Non-white patients apparently have as ready access as white patients to assessment and treatment by us.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anorexia Nervosa / diagnosis
  • Anorexia Nervosa / ethnology*
  • Anorexia Nervosa / psychology
  • Asia / ethnology
  • Black People
  • Black or African American / psychology
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data
  • Body Image
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • England
  • Ethnicity / psychology
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data*
  • Family
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Social Class
  • Syndrome
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Weight Gain
  • White People / psychology
  • White People / statistics & numerical data*