Transgender and gender-diverse identity in patients with eating disorders: A national cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: This national study aimed to estimate the prevalence of the transgender and gender-diverse identity and to assess the level of gender congruence, body dissatisfaction and quality of life among patients with eating disorders in Denmark.

Method: Patients with eating disorders were compared to a matched non-clinical comparison group. The survey included the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and assessment of body dissatisfaction, gender congruence and quality of life.

Results: In total 568 patients with eating disorders and 538 individuals from the non-clinical comparison group were included. The prevalence of individuals identifying as transgender or gender-diverse was 4.50% (n = 20) among patients with eating disorders, and 6.23% (n = 23) in the non-clinical comparison group (p-value = 0.276). The transgender and gender-diverse individuals with eating disorders showed no statistically significant differences in eating disorder symptomatology compared to the cisgender individuals with eating disorders; however, they reported significantly more body dissatisfaction, less gender congruence and lower quality of life.

Conclusion: The prevalence of transgender and gender-diverse individuals did not differ between patients with eating disorders and the non-clinical comparison group; however, transgender and gender-diverse individuals with eating disorders may be characterised by pronounced body dissatisfaction and low quality of life.

Keywords: body dissatisfaction; eating disorder; gender congruence; quality of life; transgender/gender‐diverse.

FIGURE 1

Flowchart. Flowchart showing study inclusion. A partial response was defined as accessing the survey and completing only the first questionnaire. Full response is defined as completing the last questionnaire, although missing data could occur throughout the response.