Table 1. Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Subjects.

Subject Group	Age (years)	BMI (kg/m2)	Illness Duration (years)	Weight Suppression (pounds)	EDE Total score	BDI Total score	Weekly servings gum (pieces)	Weekly 12-oz servings diet drink	Weekly Artificial Sweetener Packets
Bulimia Nervosa (BN)	24.45 (1.55)	22.46 (0.83)	9.7 (2.37)	45.25 (7.8)**	4.07*** (0.26)	18.50*** (1.90)	33.05 (15.29)	18.67* (5.63)	29.00 (13.62)
Normal Control (NC)	26.7 (1.4)	21.01 (0.66)	N/A	16.7 (1.7)	0.16 (0.05)	1.40 (0.54)	3.41 (1.56)	2.63 (1.25)	3.13 (2.58)

Data for age and BMI are mean ±(SE) from 11 BN and 10 NC subjects. Data for illness duration, weight suppression, EDI and BDI are from 10 BN and 10 NC subjects; data for weekly servings of artificially sweetened products are from 10 BN and 9 NC subjects.

Weight Suppression = Difference between lifetime maximum and lifetime minimum weight

EDE = Eating Disorder Examination

BDI = Beck Depression Inventory

Weekly servings of diet products was based on subject recall of prior 4 weeks' use.

^*significantly more drinks, p<0.05;

^**significantly larger difference, p<0.005;

^***significantly higher score, p<0.005.