Pediatric Anorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorders: Challenges in Identification, Intervention, and Recovery

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Neurology & Neurodevelopmental Disorders".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 105

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pediatric anorexia nervosa and eating disorders represent a growing concern in children and adolescents, impacting not only their physical health but also their emotional and psychological well-being. The pressures of societal expectations, media portrayals of ideal body types, and personal experiences can contribute to the development of these disorders. Early identification and intervention are required to avoid severe health complications and long-term consequences. This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of clinical treatment and management strategies for pediatric eating disorders, focusing on the challenges in early diagnosis and the importance of multidisciplinary care approaches, as well as on therapeutic interventions, the role of family support, and the impact of technology in treatment to enhance our understanding and improve outcomes for children and adolescents struggling with these serious conditions.

Dr. Elena Bozzola
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • eating disorder
  • anorexia nervosa
  • children
  • adolescents
  • therapy
  • management

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

10 pages, 216 KiB  
Article
Gender Differences in a Cohort of Children with Eating Disorders: A Retrospective Study
by Isabella Tarissi de Jacobis, Elena Inzaghi, Elena Bozzola, Valeria Zanna, Cristina Mascolo, Sara Caterina Kupiec and Maria Rosaria Marchili
Children 2025, 12(5), 652; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12050652 - 19 May 2025
Abstract
Introduction: Eating disorders (EDs) are severe psychiatric disorders that significantly impact the psychological and physiological well-being of affected individuals. Despite increasing prevalence in males over the past few decades, EDs are mainly considered a female disease. This retrospective study aims to evaluate [...] Read more.
Introduction: Eating disorders (EDs) are severe psychiatric disorders that significantly impact the psychological and physiological well-being of affected individuals. Despite increasing prevalence in males over the past few decades, EDs are mainly considered a female disease. This retrospective study aims to evaluate the influence of gender on the clinical, laboratory, and developmental characteristics of EDs in pediatric patients. Material and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients referred to the EDs between 2019 and 2024 at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy. Gender differences were evaluated in the whole cohort and in a sub-cohort of males and females well matched for age. Results: In the whole cohort of 501 patients (age range 8–17 years), 45 were males and 456 were females. In male patients, EDs occurred at a younger age (12.65 vs. 14.65 years, p < 0.05). When considering the matched cohort, male patients showed more severe clinical conditions, as evidenced by a tendency to a lower BMI SDS at the onset, higher inflammatory parameters (ferritin and transaminase levels), and poorer nutritional status (vitamin D levels: 23.15 vs. 26.9 ng/mL, p < 0.05). However, male patients had a shorter hospital stay (14.8 vs. 19.9 days, p < 0.05) and showed a tendency to a greater clinical improvement. Differences in therapy were also observed, with fewer males receiving pharmacological treatment or nasogastric feeding. Conclusions: The results of the current study confirm the higher prevalence of EDs in females, even though they suggest EDs are not exclusively a female disease. Male gender may represent a risk factor for a worse clinical course and a younger onset. Further studies with a longer follow-up are required to understand the significant differences between females and males in this complex disorder. Full article
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