'Purging Disorder' Identified as Distinct Eating Disorder

What's the difference between purging after a binge and throwing up after a normal-sized meal? According to University of Iowa psychology professor Pamela Keel, these behaviors mark a critical distinction between the widely recognized eating disorder bulimia nervosa and a physiologically distinct problem called "purging disorder."

Keel recruited three groups of women for her research, published in September's Archives of General Psychiatry: women without eating disorders, women who purge following binge eating and and women who purge to control weight but do not binge eat. These women completed interviews, questionnaires and medical testing before being given a test meal while reporting their feelings.

Keel found that bulimia and purging disorder shared many characteristics including anxiety, body image concerns and the act of purging. However, in purging disorder, sufferers felt the need to purge after eating even a small or normal amount of food rather than after a binge. This results in a different physiological response to food intake, with purging disorder sufferers showing greater feelings of fullness after eating and higher levels of gastrointestinal distress compared to bulimia sufferers.

ABSTRACT: Clinical Features and Physiological Response to a Test Meal in Purging Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa