SYNOPSISThe prevalence of culture-bound syndromes such as eating disorders in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe is unclear and comparative epidemiological studies are lacking. Before the political changes in 1989 we therefore investigated eating disorders, eating attitudes and psychological health in two Eastern European countries and in one Western democracy. A total of 1225 female and male medical students in Hungary, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Austria were surveyed. The instruments included the Eating Disorder Inventory and the GHQ. The prevalence of eating disorders was calculated on the basis of simulated DSM-III-R diagnosis. In females, bulimia nervosa prevalence rates of 0·6% (95% CI 0·02, 3·46), 1% (0·2, 2·95) and 0% (0, 2·07) were calculated for Austria, Hungary and the GDR, respectively. For subclinical bulimia nervosa, the rate for Hungary (3·8%; 1·95, 6·72) was twice as high as for Austria (1·9%; 0·39, 5·5) and the GDR (1·7%; 0·36, 4·88). Hungarian subjects indicated more psychiatric ‘caseness’ than their GDR or Austrian counterparts. We conclude that eating disorders represented at least as common a problem in Eastern as Western Europe before the changes in political organization. This may be due to an identification process with Western values. A further increase of eating disorders in these countries induced by the recent changes may be possible.

The plaster formulation combining DHEP and heparin relieves pain and induces faster dissolution of superficial haematomas, and may therefore contribute to a more rapid and complete recovery.

Eating habits have become increasingly irrational in the last century; a variety of eating disorders have appeared. Obesity seems to be impossible to cure. Nowadays, the impact of media-marketing is the most powerful social influence on eating habits. Media has five main messages on eating and the body: 1. “Be thin!” 2. “Consume and eat!” 3. “Be afraid of food!” 4. “Food will disappear!” 5. “You are not feminine / masculine enough!” Most of these messages and directions are inconsistent with each other: e.g. “Buy and eat more, but remain thin!” The double-bind communication of media-marketing is pathogenic and schizoid. Food-related media messages are multi-layered and contradictory on many levels, so it would be more appropriate to talk about a multiple bind. The paper offers new communication strategies in order to manage the chaotic information on eating and to decrease the inconsistencies on the topic.