Twenty-year follow-up of bulimia nervosa and related eating disorders not otherwise specified.
OBJECTIVE
This study reports 20-year outcome of bulimia nervosa (BN) and related eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and point prevalence of BN and EDNOS for a cohort of women and men in late adolescence (mean age = 20 ± 2 years), adulthood (30 ± 2 years), and mid-life (40 ± 2 years).


METHODS
N = 654 women and men, 73% of those assessed in 1982, completed 20-year follow-up in a two-stage design including questionnaires and structured clinical interviews.


RESULTS
Approximately 75% of women with BN were in remission at 20-year follow-up, and outcome did not differ significantly between BN and EDNOS. Eating disorder point prevalence declined in women but not men from late adolescence to mid-life.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite patterns of improvement in women, 4.5% reported a clinically significant eating disorder at mid-life, suggesting the need for more research on potential risk factors in this age group, such as pressures for women to maintain a youthful appearance.
Keel
Pamela K
PK
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA. keel@psy.fsu.edu
Gravener
Julie A
JA
Joiner
Thomas E
TE
Haedt
Alissa A
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires