Young people with epilepsy have an increased risk of eating disorder and poor quality diet

Abstract

SummaryObjectiveTo investigate whether adolescents with epilepsy are at increased risk of having self‐reported eating disorder symptoms and poor quality diet compared to young people from the general population.MethodsWe used data from the Health Profile for Children and Youth in Akershus Study, a cross‐sectional population‐based study based on a voluntary self‐reported questionnaire. There were 19,995 participants (response rate 85%) aged 13–19 years; 247 (1.2%) reported a lifetime diagnosis of epilepsy. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for eating disorders, unhealthy diet, dieting, satisfaction with looks, and participation in sports were estimated by using a logistic regression model. All estimates were adjusted for single parents and poor family economy.ResultsChildren and adolescents with epilepsy had more eating disorders than their peers (OR 1.8, CI 1.0–3.0, p = 0.03). They were less satisfied with their own appearance (OR 0.7, CI 0.5–0.9, p = 0.02), and they eat more unhealthily (OR 1.7, CI 1.3–2.2, p = 0.001). Males with epilepsy were more likely to have been dieting (OR 3.1, CI 1.2–7.9, p = 0.02) and less satisfied with their own appearance (OR 0.4, CI 0.3–0.7, p < 0.001). Females with epilepsy were more likely to eat unhealthily (OR 1.7, CI 1.1–2.5, p = 0.01).SignificanceAdolescents with epilepsy are at increased risk of having eating disorder symptoms. They eat less healthily and are less satisfied with their looks. Health workers should be aware of this and bring diet and lifestyle into the dialogue with young people with epilepsy.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Thai patients with epilepsy

“…Indeed, a study in Australian general population revealed that the prevalence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa was less than 1% whereas those of binge eating disorder and subthreshold binge eating disorder were 5.6-6.9% [33]. Another two studies using self-report nondiagnostic questionnaires also illustrated that around 5% of PWE had eating disorder symptoms [11,34]. Since the M.I.N.I was designed to detect merely anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, but not other eating disorders, these evidence could imply that the former two disorders are much less common in PWE than binge eating disorder as well as subthreshold eating disorder symptoms.…”

Food and Development: Children and Adolescents with Neurodevelopmental and Comorbid Eating Disorders—A Case Series

“…Data from a questionnaire for 19,995 participants, including 247 with epilepsy, showed that adolescents with epilepsy had a higher risk of FEDs, unhealthy eating, and less satisfaction with their appearance. Male adolescents with epilepsy had a higher risk of dieting (OR 3.1) and less satisfaction with their appearance (OR 0.4), while females with epilepsy had an increased risk of unhealthy eating [ 55 ]. The influence of antiepileptic therapy on the risk of developing symptoms of altered feeding could be due to both metabolic and psychotropic effects [ 56 , 57 ].…”

Características clínicas y sociodemográficas de pacientes con epilepsia en un hospital pediátrico en Honduras

“…Esto concuerda con estudios como los de Kolstad et al, quien encontró que los pacientes pediátricos con epilepsia tienen mayor riesgo de trastornos alimenticios y consumo de dietas de baja calidad. 15 En cuanto a los factores de riesgo para epilepsia, es conocido que los países de la región tienen mayor frecuencia de infecciones, lesiones perinatales y el manejo no adecuado de las crisis epilépticas en la infancia. 16 Estos datos concuerdan con los hallazgos de nuestro estudio, 22.4% (75) de los pacientes tenía antecedente materno de infección prenatal; la alta prevalencia de infecciones prenatales en países tropicales y el riesgo de epilepsia ya ha sido descrita en otras poblaciones.…”