Nutritional assessment of college age women with bulimia

Seventeen women, between the ages of 18 and 26, with a chronic history of bingeing and purging on a daily basis were compared to sex-matched control groups of the same age range and to “normal” reference values to assess their nutritional status. Anthropometric studies indicated the bulimics were 67% of standard for triceps skinfold thickness, demonstrating moderately depleted fat reserves. Five (29%)of the seventeen subjects were below the 5th percen- tile of triceps skinfold measurements. Somatic protein stores appeared to be adequate. The bulimics had significantly lowered serum globulin levels and total lymphocyte counts but increased serum transferrin and iron concentra- tions, compared to controls. There was a trend toward increased serum zinc and phosphorous and lowered white blood counts in the bulimic group. There was also a significantly decreasedpotassium value in the laxative abus- ers, but not the vomiter group. Vitamin supplementation did not appear to af- fect serum zinc, iron or transferrin status. The biochemical data of the bulimic group were still within “normal” ranges, despite some statistically significant differences from the control group. The practice of bulimia was not shown to be nutritionally traumatizing.