To be carrier of the 5-HTTLPR S allele seem to represent a risk factor for eating disorders, especially for AN. However, considering the reported high between-study heterogeneity, future studies should focus on more homogeneous endophenotype.

No abstract

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most comprehensive means of medically treating obesity, but only few data have so far been published concerning its long-term effectiveness. We here report our experience of 1068 consecutive patients (868 females) treated with CBT at a university-based obesity centre. The patients were enrolled into three different programmes: a 14-week LEARN programme (672 patients), a 16-week MOB programme for the morbidly obese (259 patients), or a 20-week BINGE programme for subjects affected by binge eating (137 patients). Eighty-five percent of the subjects completed the weekly programmes. The percentage of patients attending the scheduled control visits during the 1-year follow-up gradually decreased, being very low in the BINGE group (10%). The percentage weight loss was an average of 6% during the weekly courses, being higher in the MOB programme; by the end of the weekly sessions, it exceeded 10% of initial body weight in 22% of cases and increased to 36% during the follow-up. The cumulative probability of follow-up was higher among the patients undergoing the MOB and LEARN programmes than among the BINGE patients (p < 0.0001), and decreased with the increasing severity of obesity. Female gender and a weight loss of > 10% i.b.w. increased compliance to follow-up. The study further demonstrates the difficulty of achieving compliance to chronic management of obesity and the critical role of binge eating disorder in the medium-term treatment of obesity. Strategies are needed to improve adherence to a follow-up protocol.

No abstract

SynopsisThe Leyton Obsessional Inventory (LOI), together with 46 questions taken from Sections M–R of the Cornell Medical Index, were administered to 30 inpatients suffering from duodenal ulcer and to 30 patients admitted for ulcerative colitis to test the hypothesis that the latter have more obsessional traits than the former. The results indicated that although the two groups did not differ much in their obsessive personality traits, the ulcerative colitis patients were significantly more worried and concerned about them. None of the socio-cultural factors measured, which are known from other studies to influence these obsessive scores, was associated with the differences found. An analysis of the individual LOI items between the two groups showed that the ulcerative colitis patients were more indecisive, and also more morose, more rigid and more punctual than the duodenal ulcer patients, i.e. traits traditionally associated with obsessional personality types. The two groups did not differ on the Cornell score.