3.5.2. Weight, BMI and Body Composition in BN (2/11)

In Group 1, Pirke et al. [41] found no association between PPA, BMI or body composition. In Group 2, Penas-Lledo et al. [54] found that BN patients who reported PPA had higher BMIs than non-exercisers.

*3.6. Links between Problematic Use of Physical Activity, Age, Onset, Illness Duration, Quality of Life and Lifetime Activity Status in ED (7*/*49)*

3.6.1. Age, Onset, Illness Duration and Lifetime Activity Status in AN (7/7)

Group 1 included five studies. The link between patient's age and PPA was examined in three studies, with concordant results. None of the studies found an association between AN inpatient's age and their level of locomotor activity [62] or of physical activity [67,73].

Davis et al. [58] measured physical activity levels during childhood and found an increase of the level of physical activity with age for both AN patients and controls; however, a greater rate was observed for AN patients. In addition, a large change in the amount of physical activity approximately one year prior to the onset of AN was detected.

Moreover, Davis et al. [48] found that AN patients who exercise excessively had a significant increase in physical activity levels around one year prior to the onset of the disease. An earlier age of onset of AN was associated with both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of PPA [48,73].

Finally, Kostrzewa et al. [73] found that, before admission to treatment, AN excessive exercisers had longer illness duration than the non-excessive exercisers group.

Group 2 included three studies that measured lifetime PPA status among AN adolescents. Davis et al. [48] found that the currently "more active" patients were also more involved in sport and exercise activities at ages 10 and 12 than their less-active counterparts. Davis et al. [50] found that a greater number of patients who had been highly active as children subsequently engaged in more PPA during their illness than those who were average/less active as children. However, Noetel et al. [81] failed to find an association between PPA and duration of illness in their adolescent sample.
