title: And then what happened? A 5-year follow-up of eating disorder patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eating disorders (EDs) show a varying course and outcome. Within 10 years, between half and three-quarters of patients recover from their disorder. There is, however, a lack of consensus in how to define recovery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present naturalistic study was to assess clinical and full recovery in ED patients 5 years after initiated treatment at a specialized outpatient unit for EDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected at three time points: after the investigation period (T1), at the end of treatment (T2) and 5 years after the beginning of treatment (T3). Data at T1 and T2 were collected from patient records, and at T3 using a questionnaire. The number of participants was 71 and response rate 78%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At T3, the proportion in clinical recovery was 83.1%, with no significant differences between diagnostic groups. The proportion in full recovery, i.e. in addition to a subjective account of being fully recovered, presenting no physical, behavioural or psychological ED symptoms, was 40.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For most ED patients, outpatient treatment is sufficient to enable recovery. How to define and measure recovery still warrants discussion.
authors.affiliation: Rasmus Isomaa, Ph.D., Center for eating disorders , Helsinki , Finland ; Tampere university hospital , Tampere , Finland ; Department of Social Services and Health Care , Jakobstad , Finland.
authors.forename: Rasmus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isomaa
authors.forename: Anna-Lisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Isomaa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Eating disorders; Outcome; Outpatient; Recovery; Remission