Browsing by Subject "bulimia nervosa"

Studies have shown that significant proportion of people with eating disorders have reported childhood sexual abuse. However, the link between childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders is still unclear. Eating disorder is a severe condition, and therefore it is important to find out the mechanisms underlying it. The purpose of current thesis is to examine whether there is an association between childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders later in life. Studies on this subject are mostly cross-sectional – therefore, the existence of causal links remains unclear. The few longitudinal studies evaluating the link between childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders have produced mixed results. From a biological point of view, the link between childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders could stem from the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Alternatively, the link could result from traumatization, as the trauma model posits. It is probable that the link is a complicated one, with many mediators and moderators influencing it. According to the existing literature, it seems that sexual abuse is a risk factor for developing an eating disorder, especially bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. According to studies, treatment outcomes for eating disorder patients with a history of childhood sexual abuse have been poor. Thus, early intervention of child sexual abuse is important to prevent the development of eating disorders. In future, there is a need for more, prospective longitudinal studies on this subject that help to understand the link between child sexual abuse and eating disorder.