The possibilities for detection of eating disorders and potential health risks in untreated patients

Abstract

Eating disorders affect both the physical health, but also the psychological and social aspects of life of the people who suffer from them. The World Health Organization (WHO) uses the term "quality of life" to define the individuals' perception of their position in life in the context of their culture and values, and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns, to express a wide range of changes in the life of a person. Some of these changes are either caused or affected by eating habits that often present in a form of eating disorders. In recent decades, there has been growing interest in finding adequate questionnaires to help identify and measure the severity of eating disorders, as well as the quality of life of these patients. Several studies have been conducted on this topic, and scientific evolution and progress will be discussed in detail below to identify the most appropriate questionnaire to assist clinicians in their therapeutic practices. The primary objective is the detailed identification and classification of eating disorders in line with the most recent findings. The secondary objective is identification and classification of the questionnaires for testing eating disorders and quality of life. We conducted a review of the current research into developing the possibility of detecting eating disorders and potential health risks in untreated patients. The following index data bases were digitally searched: PubMed-Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, Embase, Epistemonikos, all searched up to August 2022. The combination of keywords revised in the list of medical subject headings (MeSH) was used to select relevant articles: (eating disorders) and (tests and/or questionnaires for eating disorders and quality of life). The analysis included meta-analyses, systematic reviews and original scientific articles. Special attention was paid to the discussion on identifying and providing insight into eating disorders in line with the latest findings, as well as to the examination and description of questionnaires for exploring eating disorders and quality of life. Among the first questionnaires used in practice to assess the quality of life of patients with eating disorders were Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-K). Although generic questionnaires were applied and had produced good results, there is still no specific questionnaire on the quality of life of persons with eating disorders. New discoveries emerge as the search continues for highly specialized and sensitive questionnaires. Several instruments and questionnaires are used to get a final result in several studies investigating the connection between the intensity of symptoms caused by eating disorders and the quality of life, which shall be discussed below. Great progress has been made in evaluating and designing appropriate questionnaires to help clinicians and researchers in diagnostics, developing treatment strategies and providing prognoses for eating disorders, as well as in assessing the quality of life of these patients. Most studies and research come to the conclusion that a combination of multiple questionnaires simultaneously is the best choice for detection and prevention of deterioration in the quality of life of patients with eating disorders, as well as for considering the predictive factors that pertain to the quality of life. It is important to emphasize frequent comorbidity of other mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, meaning that it is important to use instruments that help in early detection of these comorbidities during examination.