Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41332225›Full record

ArticleEuropean eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association2026

Towards Identifying Autistic Adults at Risk for Eating Disorders: A Brief Report Into Clustering of Social Camouflaging and Sensory Processing Differences.

Emy Nimbley, Siofra Bradley, Abigail Pickard, Michelle Sader, Ellen Maloney, Fhionna Moore, Tasha Suratwala, Helen Sharpe, Fiona Duffy, Karri Gillespie-Smith

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Emy NimbleySchool of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5888-1555
Siofra BradleyNHS Tayside, Dundee, Scotland.
Abigail PickardSchool of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Michelle SaderSchool of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Ellen MaloneySchool of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Fhionna MooreNHS Tayside, Dundee, Scotland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9463-3148
Tasha SuratwalaLeicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
Helen SharpeSchool of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6980-1699
Fiona DuffySchool of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9162-9722
Karri Gillespie-SmithSchool of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3059-7632

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/W002418/1UK Research and Innovation MR/X03058X/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAutistic people with an eating disorder (ED) are at higher risk of poorer treatment outcomes and experiences, perhaps due to a lack of understanding surrounding underlying mechanisms. Several factors have been implicated, such as sensory processing and social camouflaging; however, there has been little empirical investigation into how such mechanisms group or cluster together, and if certain clusters place the individual at greater risk of ED severity.

methodA secondary data analysis was conducted on an online survey of n = 180 Autistic adults (mean age = 38 years). Participants completed self-reported measures of sensory processing, social camouflaging and ED symptoms. Hierarchal clustering analyses (HCA) was conducted to explore clustering on sensory and social camouflaging behaviours, and a one-way ANOVA was conducted to explore between-cluster differences on ED symptoms.

resultsThree distinct clusters were identified: Cluster 1 (high camouflaging, low sensory); Cluster 2 (high camouflaging, high sensory); and Cluster 3 (low camouflaging, average sensory). Participants in Cluster 2 reported significantly higher ED symptoms that those in Cluster 3. There were no significant differences between remaining clusters.

conclusionFindings suggest the combination of these factors may place Autistic individuals at higher ED risk, although future longitudinal, mixed-method and more representative research, which considers a wider range of risk mechanisms, is urgently needed before conclusions can be drawn.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderFeeding and Eating DisordersAdultCluster AnalysisFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultautismeating disorderssensorysocial camouflaging

Identifiers

PMID41332225
PMCPMC13048732

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.