Validity of nutrition-related outcome measures in eating disorder treatment: a scoping review

This scoping review aimed to identify nutrition-related outcome measures used in experimental eating disorder studies and synthesise evidence on their validity. Five databases were searched for experimental studies reporting nutrition-related outcome measures in eating disorder treatment, published between January 1990 and February 2025. Data on outcome measures, their context and validity were extracted and synthesised according to alignment with the Nutrition Care Process, a framework used by dietitians. A supplementary search identified additional evidence on the validity of each measure. Sixty studies were included. Most were randomised controlled trials (n = 39) focusing on anorexia nervosa (n = 18) or binge eating disorder (n = 18). Fifty outcome measures may indicate nutrition-related change, though used and defined inconsistently. One tool addressed all Nutrition Care Process categories and 52% (n = 26) demonstrated evidence of validity. No validated tools were explicitly designed to assess nutrition-related outcomes. The development and validation of a nutrition-specific outcome tool is a priority.