The review question and inclusion criteria were clear. Five relevant databases were searched along with the reference lists of five reviews. The search was restricted to English studies so some relevant studies may have been overlooked. Details of methods of study selection and data extraction were not described so it was unclear to what extent error and bias were minimised. Quality assessment of the included studies was not reported so it was unclear how reliable the studies were.
Relatively limited study details were provided, especially with respect to the study populations. Brief study characteristics were provided in tables but the exact outcomes assessed were not very clear (such as discussion of bulimic symptoms without specifying how these were defined). One of the included studies was non-randomised (uncontrolled according to the data given) and several had high attrition rates. Follow-up periods of the studies were unclear but appeared to have been relatively short term. No information was identified on anorexia nervosa.
Limitations in the review methodology and in the included studies mean that the authors' conclusions may not be reliable.