Food exposure in patients with bulimia nervosa

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate psychological and physi ological responses of bulimic patients to the repeated presentation of food cues. Method: On 2 subsequent days, 48 bulimic women (DSM-IV) were confron ted with high- or low-caloric food for 20 min. A control group (n = 24) was exposed to high-caloric food once. Blood sugar levels were manipulated wit h a glucose load. Results: High-caloric food only elicited increases in urg e to binge, subjective and physiological stress in the first session. Durin g the second session, reported urge to binge and subjective stress was sign ificantly lower. Bulimic patients confronted with high-caloric food showed higher subjective and physiological stress in the first session compared to bulimic patients confronted with low-caloric food. In the second session, they reported more subjective stress and urge to binge, compared to the low -caloric group. Blood sugar revels did not affect psychological and physiol ogical responses. Discussion: The results are discussed in terms of the con ditioning model of binge eating model, habituation models and implications for exposure therapy. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG.