Eating disturbances in siblings of patients with eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether siblings of patients with eating disorders show a more disturbed eating behavior and a higher proneness to associated psychological characteristics than controls.

METHOD

84 patients with eating disorders of an outpatient clinic, their siblings (n=84) and a control group (n=84) with an age range 14-34 for the total sample were evaluated using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the siblings and the controls in disturbed eating behavior.

DISCUSSION

The existence of an eating disorder in patients does not seem to be related to the development of eating disturbed behavior in their siblings.