Across the United States, thousands of children and adolescents suffer from eating disorders. Among young women alone, an estimated 2 to 4 percent are dealing with anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa also has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder and produces a six-fold increased risk for death. Unfortunately, study shows that current treatments are only successful with 25 percent of patients and no eating disorder prevention program has been found to reduce future onset of anorexia nervosa. The goal of this study is to conduct a highly innovative pilot study that will identify risk factors that predict future onset of anorexia nervosa and investigate how the risk processes for anorexia nervosa are different from the risk processes for bulimia nervosa. The proposed pilot study will: * Compare 30 healthy adolescent girls at high risk for anorexia nervosa to 30 healthy adolescent girls at high risk for bulimia nervosa, and 30 healthy adolescent girls at low risk for eating disorder in an effort to document risk processes that are present in early adolescence before anorexia nervosa typically emerges. * Test whether elevations in the hypothesized risk factors predict future onset of anorexia nervosa over a four-year follow-up.
Age range
12 Years – 16 Years
Sex
FEMALE
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Change from Baseline in Diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa follow-up
Timeframe: baseline, 6-months, 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, 4-year follow-up
Baseline Brain Reward Region Response to tastes, anticipated tastes, and images of high calorie foods predictive power
Timeframe: baseline
Baseline Brain Inhibitory Control and Inhibitory Response to tastes, anticipated tastes, and images of high calorie foods predictive power
Timeframe: baseline
Baseline Brain Reward Region Responsivity to Images of the Thin Beauty Ideal predictive power
Timeframe: baseline
Baseline Overvaluation of Weight and Shape Predictive Power
Timeframe: baseline
Baseline Fear of Becoming Fat Predictive
Timeframe: baseline