Anorexia nervosa of late onset.
Forty-two female anorexia nervosa patients, with onset of first illness at 25 or more years of age, are described and compared with 143 patients with onset of first illness between the ages of 15 and 20 years. The data support the view that the older group forms part of the total population of anorexia nervosa patients, but that age exerts a pathoplastic influence on psychopathology and psychosocial stressors. Older patients lost more weight, but did not have significantly higher rates of concurrent mood disorder.
Boast
N
N
Royal Free Hospital, London.
Coker
E
E
Wakeling
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015431:Weight Loss