Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41797321›Full record

ArticleEarly intervention in psychiatry2026

Duration of Untreated Eating Disorder and Prodrome in Young People: Characteristics and Relationship to Early Outcomes.

Jessica McClelland, Amelia Austin, Michaela Flynn, Victoria A Mountford, Mima Simic, Ulrike Schmidt

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Article in Early intervention in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jessica McClellandSouth London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2030-084X
Amelia AustinCentre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK.
Michaela FlynnCentre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK.
Victoria A MountfordCentre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK.
Mima SimicSouth London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Ulrike SchmidtSouth London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Funding

Arts and Humanities Research Council MR/W002418/1Economic and Social Research Council MR/W002418/1Medical Research Council MR/W002418/1National Institute for Health and Care Research
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsEating disorders (EDs) are serious illnesses and a better understanding of initial symptom phases could inform early intervention. This study aims to evaluate duration of untreated eating disorder (DUED) and duration/characteristics of the preceding prodrome period in young people diagnosed with an ED.

methodsFifty-four young people (28 adolescents aged 13-17 and 26 emerging adults aged 18-25) with recent onset EDs (< 3 years) completed a retrospective onset interview and life chart. DUED, prodrome duration and prodrome characteristics (ED-specific and more broad psychiatric symptoms) were compared according to developmental stage and diagnosis. The relationships between DUED and prodrome duration with early outcomes were evaluated.

resultsEmerging adults had a longer DUED than adolescents. This group also had a longer prodrome but only when broad psychiatric symptoms (i.e., not ED-specific) were considered. Those with bulimia-type EDs had a longer ED-specific and broad psychiatric prodrome compared to those with anorexia-type EDs. There were no significant developmental stage or diagnosis-related differences in symptom severity during prodrome. In those who were underweight at presentation to services, a shorter broad prodrome duration was associated with greater weight gain after 3 months of treatment.

conclusionsWhen both ED and broad psychiatric symptoms are considered, DUED and prodromal symptoms of EDs differ according to developmental stage and diagnosis. Duration of prodrome may also impact early outcomes but further research is needed.

Indexed as

Feeding and Eating DisordersProdromal SymptomsAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesTime FactorsTreatment DelayYoung Adultanorexia nervosabulimia nervosaduration of untreated eating disordereating disordersprodrome

Identifiers

PMID41797321
PMCPMC12968482

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