Anorexia in the long term

Researchers from Gothenburg University have been following the progress of 102 people over 18 years, between 1985 and 2003. The participants in the study were in their teens; half had anorexia while the other half were unaffected by mental-health problems. Three of the women with anorexia at the start of the study were still suffering from it eighteen years later. 25% of the anorexic group were on disability benefit or had been signed off sick for six months due to an eating disorder or other mental-health problem in 2003. 39% had at least one other mental-health problem, of which the most common was obsessive-compulsive disorder. But none of the anorexic women had died and they had had the same number of children as the other group, despite the fact that anorexia has been linked to infertility.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090326134012.htm