Low body mass indices in adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth of adolescents with obsess ive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Body heights and body mass indices (BMIs; ex pressed in kg m(-2)) of 51 adolescent patients with OCD were compared with the corresponding anthropometric variables in age- and sex-matched psychiat ric controls and in a general population sample, respectively. In accordanc e with a previous epidemiologically based investigation, body heights and w eights were found to be reduced, especially in male patients with OCD. The body mass indices of the patients with OCD were significantly lower than th ose of age-matched control patients and population controls. However, some of the parameters were also reduced in male psychiatric controls, indicatin g that the reductions are not entirely specific for adolescent OCD. The res ults suggest a neuroendocrine dysfunction in adolescent OCD. The low body m ass index indicates that psychiatric disorders other than anorexia nervosa are associated with underweight during adolescence.