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Prepuberal obesity (the adiposogenital syndrome): A transitional object pathology

  • Brief Report and New Hypotheses
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Abstract

The adiposogenital syndrome develops during the puberal period starting from a particular family constellation, that is described. The origins of the pathological alteration are found at the first object relationships, where feeding is felt as self-feeding. Food normally plays the role of transitional object in child. In these cases, this role fails and ends by helping separation denial. Fat is laid on the intermediate space as a fetish object, a witness of the omnipoten fantasy of antistic feeding. The child develops a great ability to maintain this balance, making eating a highly pleasant activity. Difficulties encountered during treatment are commented.

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Losso, R. Prepuberal obesity (the adiposogenital syndrome): A transitional object pathology. Eat Weight Disord 2, 160–163 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339968

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