BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate if exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is related with eating disorders in adult life. METHODS: A case-control study was performed comparing women with diagnoses of eating disorders - from PROATA (acronym in Portuguese meaning Eating Disorders Program) of Federal University of São Paulo - and non-psychiatric clinic patients as control group at Ophthalmology Centre. RESULTS: The prevalence of CSA for binge-eating disorder was 43.7%, whilst in the control group it was 27.3% (OR = 2.1; CI 95% = 0.5- 8.1). The prevalence of CSA for bulimia nervosa was 26.7% and, 27% in control group (OR = 0.99; CI 95% = 0.24-4.1). The prevalence of CSA in anorexia nervosa was 50%, whilst in control group it was 14.8% (OR = 5.8; CI 95% = 1.3- 25.6; p < 0.05). Taking into account only the history of two or more CSA episodes, those patients with anorexia nervosa had 35.7% CSA prevalence, and 3.7% in control group (OR = 14.4; CI 95% = 1.5-140.8; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study has shown a strong association between anorexia nervosa and childhood sexual abuse.
Sexual abuse; anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; binge eating disorder; case-control
