Is major depressive disorder or dysthymia more strongly associated with bulimia nervosa?

OBJECTIVE: Research on adult samples has found that the comorbidity between depression and eating disorders exceeds the comorbidity of any other Axis I disorder and eating disorders. Few studies have investigated the specific associations of major depression versus dysthymia with eating disorders. METHOD: This sample consisted of 937 adolescents who were repeatedly assessed until the age of 24. RESULTS: Analyses revealed that dysthymia was a stronger correlate with bulimia than major depression, even while controlling for other mood disorders and a history of depression and dysthymia. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of dysthymia in adolescence might be a possible risk factor for the development of bulimia nervosa.