Pál Szabó

The prevalence of eating disorders in a Hungarian secondary school population over a period of 10 years

UNLABELLED Eating disorders have a variety of medical complications, some of them being irreversible and dangerous, and significant psychiatric comorbidity. Eating disorders occur mainly in the female gender. Contradictory data are available concerning the time trends in the prevalence of eating disorders. Objective of the present study was to examine how the prevalence of eating disorder syndromes and their symptoms changed during a period of ten years. METHODS The study carried out in 1989 (Túry et al, 1991; Szabó & Túry, 1991) was repeated in the 1998-1999 school year. The same questionnaire was used for the assessment of eating disorders in both studies. The questionnaire that included the Eating Attitudes Test, the Bulimia Cognitive Distortion Scale, and the Eating Behavior Severity Scale was distributed in 9 secondary schools in 6 towns. RESULTS In all, 2731 students participated in the study (593 males and 2138 females, 932 in the first phase and 1799 in the second phase). The methods used for weight reduction and pathological questionnaire scores are more prevalent in female students. The prevalence of these eating-related pathological phenomena increased over a ten-year period. The prevalence of both clinical and subclinical anorexia and bulimia got significantly higher in the females during the study period (form 0.12% to 0.68%). CONCLUSIONS The results of the study indicate that the prevalence of symptoms and syndromes of eating disorders has risen significantly among female Hungarian secondary school students during the study period. The increased prevalence rates are likely to be associated with the growing significance of physical appearance and the ideal of slenderness in this age group.

Eating Disorders in Hungary

Early descriptions of eating disorders show that they are not new phenomena in Hungary. In their treatment a strong psychoanalytic tradition can be observed, whereas integrative approaches became more widespread in the last decade. Hungarian epidemiological data show that eating disorders are as common as in Western countries. These aspects underline that a simplifying West–East dichotomy cannot be used in the interpretation of eating disorders, and the sociocultural traditions are complex.

[An old "new" disease: body dysmorphic disorder (dysmorphophobia)].

Body dysmorphic disorder causes significant suffering and serious impairment in psychosocial functions. However, this disease with dangerous risks is scarcely mentioned in the Hungarian medical literature. The objective of the author is to give a detailed review about this almost unknown, but relatively common disorder. The serious disorder of body perception is in the centre of symptoms, leading to social isolation, anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive phenomena. The disorder often remains unrecognized because of the lack of insight of disease. Comorbidity with affective disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, alcoholism and substance use disorders is common. The life quality of affected patients is bad, the risk of suicide or violence is high. Biological, psychological and sociocultural factors play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of the disorder. Imaging techniques and neuropsychological measures revealed changes characteristic for the disease. Childhood abuse and neglect, appearance-related critical remarks, stressors and the impact of media are also supposed to have role in the development of the disorder. The point prevalence is 0.7-2.5% in the general population, however, in special groups such as in tertiary students, psychiatric, dermatological and cosmetic surgery patients the prevalence rates may be much higher. Typically, the disease begins in early adolescence, and it persists and deteriorates without treatment, showing a chronic course. By means of pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy long-during improvement or full recovery can be achieved within a relatively short period of time.

Health state, eating and body image disorders among beauticians

Bevezetes: A szepsegiparban dolgozok szakmajuk altal a szepseg kozvetitőive valnak. Cel: A szerzők arra a kerdesre kerestek a valaszt, hogy a szepsegiparban dolgozok fokozott kockazattal rendelkeznek-e eves- es testkepzavarok kialakulasara. Modszerek: Az eveszavarok vizsgalatara az Evesi Attitűdok Teszt es az Eveszavartunetek Sulyossagi Skalaja, mig a testkep vizsgalatara az Emberalakrajzok Teszt es az Eveszavar Kerdőiv testtel valo elegedetlenseg alskalaja, valamint a Testi Attitűdok Teszt es a Testtel Kapcsolatos Befektetesek Skalaja szolgalt. A kerdőiveket osszesen 266 (18–26 eves) szemely toltotte ki. Kozuluk 56 erdelyi es 59 magyarorszagi szepsegipari dolgozo volt. A kontrollcsoportot 57 erdelyi es 54 magyarorszagi szemely alkotta. Eredmenyek: A testsulycsokkentő viselkedesek kozul a falasroham gyakoribb volt a szepsegiparban dolgozoknal, mint a kontrollcsoportban. Az Evesi Attitűdok Tesztben a kuszoberteket meghalado esetek szama gyakoribb volt a szepsegiparban dolgozoknal, mint a kontrollcsoportban...