Associations between nutritional intake, stress and hunger biomarkers, and anxiety and depression during the treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescents and young adults

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with anorexia nervosa (AN) frequently have co-occurring anxiety and depression, which can negatively impact prognosis. To inform treatment of co-occurring anxiety and depression, we assessed the association of nutritional intake and hunger/stress hormones on anxiety and depression using a six-month longitudinal study of 50 AYA females receiving care for AN. At baseline and six months, we measured anxiety (Spielberger State/Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]), depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]), body mass index (BMI), 3-day dietary intake (total calories and proportion of fat, carbohydrate, protein), and serum cortisol, leptin, and adiponectin. We performed mixed effects linear regression analyses, adjusting for age, duration of AN, and percentage of median BMI (%mBMI). At baseline, median age was 16.3 (interquartile range [IQR] = 2.5) years, duration of AN was 6 (IQR = 8.8) months and %mBMI was 87.2 (IQR = 10.5)%. Fifty-six percent had clinically significant anxiety; 30 % had depression. Over 6 months, participants had significant improvements in %mBMI (+2.2[IQR = 9.2]%, p < .01), STAI (−9.0[IQR = 25.0], p < .01), and BDI (−5.0[IQR = 13.8], p < .01) scores. Participants with larger improvements in caloric intake had greater improvements in STAI (p = .03) and BDI scores (p = .04). Larger improvement in BDI was significantly associated with increased fat intake (p < .01), but not carbohydrate or protein intake. Change in STAI was not associated with changes in fat, carbohydrate, or protein intake. Changes in STAI or BDI scores were not associated with changes in cortisol, leptin, or adiponectin. Increased caloric intake may augment treatment of co-occurring anxiety and depression, and increased fat intake may improve depression for AYA with AN.