Compulsive symptoms in anorexia and bulimia nervosa

: The present study reports findings concerning the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in eating disorders. Ninety-three women meeting DSM-III-R criteria for anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN) were investigated using the Hamburg Obsession Compulsion Inventory HZI-K (Klepsch et al. 1993). Forty-six patients (49.5%) met the criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This subgroup showed significant pathologically elevated scores on several scales of the Eating Disorder Inventory (Garner et al. 1983), and two different personality questionnaires (Freiburger Personlichkeitsinventar, Fahrenberg et al. 1984; Giessen-Tests, Beckmann et al. 1983). The results demonstrate a high rate of OCD in AN and BN. The relationship between eating disorders and OCD and the question of clinical relevance is discussed.