Non-fat-phobic anorexia nervosa in British South Asian adolescents.

Objective: The current study investigated the clinical features of British South Asian adolescent females presenting with low weight in the absence of organic disease.

Methods: The authors performed a retrospective case note study of South Asian British female adolescents presenting with weight loss/anorexia nervosa to psychiatric clinics and matched White English peers presenting with low weight.

Results: South Asian patients presented more frequently with loss of appetite (p = .01) and less frequently with fat phobia (p = .032) and weight preoccupation (p = .001). South Asians also had significantly more satisfactory relationships with their nuclear family and peers (p = .03).

Conclusions: Differing symptom profiles for anorexia nervosa need to be taken into account when assessing patients from different cultures. South Asian adolescents may present with a non-fat-phobic form of anorexia nervosa. This has clinical and epidemiologic implications. Further investigation is warranted to assess the nosologic status of this group.