Interoception in Female Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Versus Restrictive Eating Disorders

TL;DR

Female adolescents with inflammatory bowel diseases show similar interoceptive profiles to those with eating disorders, suggesting shared gut-brain mechanisms.

Contribution

This study identifies overlapping interoceptive characteristics between inflammatory bowel disease patients at risk for eating disorders and those with diagnosed eating disorders.

Findings

27% of IBD patients scored above the threshold for eating disorder risk, showing profiles similar to those with restrictive eating disorders.

IBD patients at risk of eating disorders reported lower 'Not-Worrying' and 'Trusting' interoceptive awareness scores.

Findings suggest shared gut-brain axis mechanisms between inflammatory bowel diseases and eating disorders.

Abstract

Background: Female individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are more likely to develop restrictive eating disorders (REDs), with both conditions appearing to share common pathophysiological pathways. We conducted a case–control study exploring eating symptomatology and interoceptive profiles in female adolescents with IBDs compared with adolescents diagnosed with REDs, in order to test the hypothesis that the two clinical populations exhibit similar interoceptive characteristics. Methods: We recruited 33 female adolescents with IBDs and 54 controls with REDs matched for age and gender. All participants completed a validated psychometric battery assessing eating disorder features (EDI-3) and interoceptive awareness (MAIA-2). Results: Twenty-seven percent of patients with IBD scored above the cut-off (>70th percentile) on the EDI-3 Eating Disorder Risk Composite (EDRC), showing an eating and interoceptive profile comparable to that of patients with REDs. The two sub-cohorts within the IBD sample differed in the ‘Not-Worrying’ and ‘Trusting’ MAIA-2 subscales, with the IBD cohort at risk of developing an ED reporting lower scores. Conclusions: Our findings indicate comparable interoceptive profiles between adolescents with IBDs who are at risk of developing EDs and patients with a confirmed diagnosis of REDs. This similarity underscores the need to further investigate the shared pathogenic mechanisms underlying these conditions, particularly the role of the gut–brain axis (GBA).