[Lunch session, weight gain and their interaction with the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa in adolescents]

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of the family meal intervention (FMI) on weight gain.

Method: Upon admission 12 adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were randomly assigned to two groups of outpatient family - based therapy, treated during 6 months, and followed-up at 12 months. Measures were administered at each of these instances. Groups differed only with regard to the FMI.

Results: Both treatments produced considerable and comparable improvement in biological parameters, in depression, and in eating and general psychological symptoms.

Discussion: Although the FMI did not appear to have a significant effect on weight gain, results suggest it might have a differential benefit for the intractable self-starving patient with greater psychopathology. The finding that weight recovery was not associated to general psychological outcome in those patients with more psychiatric co - morbidity, suggests caution when prioritizing clinical goals.