Comorbidity of obsessive‐compulsive disorders and duration of eating disorders

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders (ED) and examined the relationship between OCD comorbidity and the duration of ED. Subjects with OCD were expected to show a longer history of ED. METHOD: ED females (N = 237; 84 with anorexia nervosa and 153 with bulimia nervosa) were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-1). Data were analyzed by logistic regression to determine whether OCD comorbidity is associated with duration of ED. RESULTS: The total sample showed a prevalence rate for OCD of 29.5%. OCD prevalence did not differ between anorexic and bulimic subjects. OCD comorbidity was significantly associated with a longer history of ED. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study support previous research indicating a high comorbidity of ED with OCD. The results also suggest that OCD may play a role in the course of ED. Prospective studies are necessary to examine this hypothesis further.