Macronutrient intake in anorexia nervosa: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study

Abstract

Objective: To compare the macronutrient intake of females with or without a history of anorexia nervosa (AN) at three times: two years and one year before the onset of AN, and during the first year of the illness.

Study design: Prospective cohort study with 3-day food intake records collected over 10 years. Subjects were 154 white females (aged 9 or 10 years at study entry), of whom 14 had AN and 140 were healthy females matched for age at study entry and parental education.

Results: Compared with the healthy girls, girls with AN reported significantly lower total energy intake and fat intake during the first year of the illness; the lower total energy intake was evident already at the 1-year (but not the 2-year) pre-onset assessment.

Conclusions: To identify AN early on, health practitioners caring for adolescent girls should inquire about food intake and reluctance to eat certain foods, especially those containing fat.