Interest in the link between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Anorexia Nervosa (AN) has led to estimates of the prevalence of autistic traits in AN. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the use of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) or abbreviated version (AQ-10) to examine whether patients with AN have elevated levels of autistic…

Pica is a very serious and often life threatening problem which occurs largely in persons with developmental disabilities. The topic has received sporadic attention from researchers for several decades. This paper reviews definitions, diagnostic implications, causes, prevalence, and assessment methods that have been described in the research…

Food refusal is a severe feeding problem in which children refuse to eat all or most foods presented and exhibit problems with growth. This review discusses the definition, etiology, and interventions pertaining to food refusal. The interventions utilized for food refusal typically consist of several treatment components. These treatment…

Selectively reviews the literature on the diagnostic criteria for eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder) as described in "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (4th ed.) and "International Classification of Diseases" (10th ed.). Discusses the prevalence and course of…

Bulimia represents a major health problem in the United States, especially in high schools, colleges, and universities. This paper reviews literature on the definition, etiology, and therapeutic approaches for bulimia. The literature points to potential physiological bases for the disorder since some researchers reported similarities between it…

The epidmiology, etiology, and complications of pica in people with intellectual disability is reviewed. Studies of the prevalence of pica in institutional and community settings show lower rates in the community, although rates remain high in institutional programs. The psychological, cultural, and medical theories on etiology are explored.…

Provides a brief overview (research design, prevalence, risk factors, assessment, treatment, outcome, and obstacles to care) of the status of knowledge of eating disorders among adolescents. Offers recommendations for future research. (EV)