ABSTRACT
Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are clear examples of malnutrition in developed countries, with a prevalence that approaches 2" for young females in western societies. These two eating disorders (EDs) are very much related regarding psychopathological traits. EDs, including AN, are a challenge to the immune system, which has to face nutrient shortage and altered brain neurochemistry. Some immune parameters seem to be affected by the nutritional status, which is impaired through variable total weight and fat mass loss and depleted nutrient reservoirs. Leptin has been suggested to function as a prominent regulator of immune system activity, linking the function of T lymphocytes to nutritional status. As the restrictive behavior of the AN patient progresses, metabolic adaptations seem to occur that counteract energy shortage and evade serious metabolic imbalances. The chapter suggests that pro-inflammatory cytokines could have a role in the evolution of eating disorders.
