Long-term outcome in anorexia nervosa in the community.

ABSTRACT 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/m2), but their mean BMI (22.0 kg/m2) was lower than among unaffected women (24.0 kg/m2, 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). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]