Mortality Rates in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders

Summary & key facts

This fact sheet reports that people with eating disorders have higher death rates than the general population. Death rates are highest for anorexia nervosa (AN). Bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) have similar death rates. The sheet says older age at assessment was linked to higher death risk in AN and that more research is needed to find predictors of death for BN and EDNOS.

Key facts:

• People with eating disorders have significantly higher mortality rates than people without eating disorders (the fact sheet states mortality is elevated).
• Anorexia nervosa (AN) shows the highest mortality rates among the eating disorders reported in the fact sheet.
• Bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) have similar mortality rates, according to the sheet.
• Age at assessment was a significant predictor of mortality for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) in the study summarized by the sheet.
• The fact sheet states that about 28.8 million Americans are struggling with eating disorders.
• The sheet reports that about 26% of people with eating disorders have attempted suicide (as presented in the fact sheet).
• The fact sheet states that every 52 minutes someone dies due to an eating disorder (as reported in the source).
• The sheet includes a note that less than 6% are medically underweight (as presented in the source).

Abstract

Individuals with eating disorders have significantly elevated mortality rates, with the highest rates occurring in those with AN. The mortality rates for BN and EDNOS are similar. The study found age at assessment to be a significant predictor of mortality for patients with AN. Further research is needed to identify predictors of mortality in patients with BN and EDNOS.

Topics

Eating Disorders and Behaviors Impact of Technology on Adolescents Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Clinical psychology Confidence interval Eating disorders Internal medicine Law Medicine MEDLINE Meta-analysis Mortality rate Not Otherwise Specified Political science Psychiatry Psychology PsycINFO