High-calorie refeeding in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: a narrative review

Abstract

Background and objectives: Recent studies about refeeding in anorexia nervosa (AN) suggest starting with a high calorie diet. This narrative review aims to understand the initial refeeding management in hospitalized children and adolescents with AN and to develop a practical protocol. Methods: We performed a comprehensive database search in June 2023 for abstracts published between January 2010 and May 2023 in different databases: Pubmed, The Cochrane Library and Embase with the terms refeeding syndrome, energy intake, diet therapy, weight restoration, hypophosphatemia, nutritional rehabilitation, anorexia nervosa, restrictive eating disorders, child, adolescent and young adult. Results: Fifteen papers were included in this review. Twelve studies were retrospective or observational. Only 3 randomized controlled trials were found. Initial energy intake varies within a wide range between 500 and 2800 kcal per day but generally begins with higher calories than current recommendations. Only hypophosphatemia was often described without clinical refeeding syndrome. Initial weight restoration was better with high calorie refeeding (HCR). Length of stay was shorter with HCR in some studies. Long term outcomes were unknown. Only two studied severely malnourished patients (< 70 % mBMI). Conclusion: In adolescents with AN and with a low risk of RS, high calorie refeeding is possible under close medical monitoring and with prompt electrolyte correction. Robust studies with a unified protocol are needed to confirm the safety of high calorie refeeding especially in severely malnourished adolescents with AN.