Purging and nonpurging forms of bulimia nervosa in a community sample.

OBJECTIVE

Recent consensus on the subclassification of the eating disorder bulimia nervosa into purging and nonpurging forms is examined in the context of a large psychiatric epidemiological survey in Ontario, Canada.

METHOD: Among a sample of 8,116 individuals, 62 met criteria for bulimia nervosa. Of these, the 17 who were of the purging subtype could be distinguished from the nonpurging group on a variety of parameters of comorbidity, family history, and childhood environment.

RESULTS

The purging subtype was distinguishable on the basis of early age of onset, and high rates of affective disorders and anxiety and alcoholism, sexual abuse, and parental discord.

DISCUSSION: The data support the taxonomy and point to the need for better understanding of the meaning of purging behavior.