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Long‐term outcome in anorexia nervosa in the community
Author(s) -
Mustelin Linda,
Raevuori Anu,
Bulik Cynthia M.,
Rissanen Aila,
Hoek Hans W.,
Kaprio Jaakko,
KeskiRahkonen Anna
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.22415
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , cohort , disability pension , medicine , demography , pediatrics , cohort study , gerontology , eating disorders , psychology , psychiatry , population , sociology , environmental health
Objective Few studies have assessed outcomes of anorexia nervosa (AN) outside clinical settings. We aimed to assess mortality, recovery, and socio‐demographic outcomes of AN in a community sample. Method Women in the nationwide FinnTwin16 cohort (born 1975–1979) were followed for 10 years after baseline diagnostic assessment (mean age at follow‐up 34 years, N = 2188). We compared women with lifetime DSM‐IV AN ( N = 40) with unaffected women from the same cohort. Results None of the women with AN had died and 88% were weight‐recovered (BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m 2 ), but their mean BMI (22.0 kg/m 2 ) was lower than among unaffected women (24.0 kg/m 2 , p = 0.008). University degrees (38 vs. 29%, p = 0.26), sickness absence during the past year (median 5 vs. 3 days, p = 0.21), or unemployment or disability pension (5 vs. 4%, p = 0.62) did not significantly differ between AN probands and their unaffected peers. More women with AN were still studying (15 vs. 4%, p = 0.003), and half of them had children, as compared to 66% of unaffected women ( p = 0.05). Discussion The long‐term prognosis of AN in the community appears promising. Weight‐restoration is common and socio‐demographic outcomes are generally favorable. However, women with a history of AN may be less likely to have children. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:851–859).