Link
between bulimia nervosa and seasonal depression
in Japan
Changes
in appetite are among the symptoms of depression
and there is a strong comorbidity of depression
and eating disorders. Seasonal variation in
eating disorders in Japan has been the subject
of a recent survey.
The Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire
(SPAQ), translated in Japanese, was mailed to
228 outpatients living in Kyoto diagnosed with
an eating disorder. Among the ninety people (88
female) who completed the questionnaire, 50
patients had anorexia, 30 had bulimia nervosa,
and 10 had an unspecified condition. The
questionnaire was also distributed to 96 female
nurses without eating disorders. The
participants were asked about seasonal
variations in their mood and other related
factors, such as levels of social activity,
sleep, appetite and energy. Patients with
bulimia nervosa, but not the other eating
disorders, showed a greater number of symptoms
of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) than the
non-clinical comparison subjects.
Individuals with bulimia nervosa appeared to be
at increased risk for SAD among people with
eating disorder subtypes, at least in Kyoto. It
is suggested that light therapy may benefit
patients with bulimia nervosa. Int
J Eat Disord 33: 71-77, 2003