Relationship between Eating Disorder (Anorexia Nervosa) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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Suratwala, T. (2024). Relationship between Eating Disorder (Anorexia Nervosa) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) [Preprint]. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4014453/v1

Publication date: 6 Mar 2024 Added to AutiHub: 29 Sep 2026 Type: Preprint Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Tasha Suratwala *

Abstract

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Research has shown there is a potential link between Eating Disorders (Anorexia Nervosa) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This quantitative study aimed to evaluate if there was a significant difference between those with AN and those without when assessing for ASD. METHOD: 100 participants aged 18 years and above, including n = 50 who did not have Anorexia and n = 50 who declared themselves to have Anorexia, used a pre-screening and online questionnaire, with a between-subject design and Independent Samples T-Tests in SPSS. RESULTS: The study found a link between AN and ASD, with a higher incidence of ASD among those with AN. However, the study excluded those under 18 and excluded participants over 51, potentially underrepresenting the overall age population. Additionally, no gender distinction was made in the results, focusing on the overall association between AN and ASD. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to determine if gender differences affect the results and if a greater prevalence of ASD among AN still exists, particularly in younger and older generations, to ensure consistency and validity in the findings.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
17
With a DOI
14
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
0
0 / 17 (0.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 17 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
17 / 17 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
0
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
54
From DOI or external metadata
54
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
10 / 54 (18.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 44 / 54 (81.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
0 / 54 (0.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 0 / 10 (0.0%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 0 / 46 (0.0%).
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    OpenAlex
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    OpenAlex
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    OpenAlex
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    OpenAlex
  9. Heather Westwood , Kate Tchanturia (2017). Autism Spectrum Disorder in Anorexia Nervosa: An Updated Literature Review . Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(7), 41. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s11920-017-0791-9 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2619800727
    OpenAlex
  10. Kate Tchanturia , James Adamson , Jenni Leppanen , Heather Westwood (2019). Characteristics of autism spectrum disorder in anorexia nervosa: A naturalistic study in an inpatient treatment programme . Autism, 23(1), 123-130. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361317722431 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2768010257
    OpenAlex
  11. Louise Karjalainen , Maria Råstam , Gunilla Paulson-Karlsson , Elisabet Wentz (2019). Do autism spectrum disorder and anorexia nervosa have some eating disturbances in common? European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(1), 69-78. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1188-y OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2810870095
    OpenAlex
  12. Rachel M. Hiller , Elizabeth Pellicano (2013). Anorexia and Autism: A Cautionary Note . Psychologist, 26(11), 780.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2910702774
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  13. Jessi Rose Dietrich (2019). Assessing Eating Disorder Signs and Associated Personalities in an Adolescent Sample .
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3005776932
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    OpenAlex
  15. Kate Tchanturia (2021). Supporting Autistic People with Eating Disorders: A guide to Adapting Treatment and supporting Recovery .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3169735757
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