There are few data on the prevalence of subthreshold pediatric psychiatric disorders, when the child/adolescent doesn't qualify for any mental disorder according to the classification systems (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) and International Classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders 10th Edition (ICD-10)), however the symptoms cause difficulties in the everyday life of the child/adolescent. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of subthreshold eating disorders among hospitalized children.

We examined 106 hospitalized children/adolescents aged under 18 in the Vadaskert Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital and Outpatient Clinic, Budapest, Hungary. Threshold (DSM-IV) and subthreshold disorders were evaluated with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Kid (M.I.N.I. Kid).

There was no single child hospitalized due to threshold eating disorder during the study period, but 7.5% of them had the diagnoses of current subthreshold eating disorder. In all cases it was subthreshold bulimia nervosa. Subthreshold bulimia nervosa was always a comorbid condition with a threshold disorder.

Our findings indicate, that clinicians should think about the presence of subthreshold eating disorder as a comorbid condition among hospitalized children.