Dietary energy density and diet variety as risk factors for relapse in anorexia nervosa: A replication

Abstract

Objective: To replicate our previous findings of an association between energy density and diet variety in recently weight-restored patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and clinical outcome in the year following treatment. Method: Nineteen hospitalized, weight-restored women with AN completed a food record, from which a diet energy density score (DEDS) and a diet variety score (DVS) were calculated. After hospital discharge, patients were contacted regularly; at the end of one year, clinical outcome was determined using modified Morgan-Russell criteria. As in our previous study, outcome was dichotomized into "full, good, or fair" and "poor" groups. Results: Data from 16 subjects were available. The DEDS was significantly lower (p