Review of the burden of eating disorders: mortality, disability, costs, quality of life, and family burden

Abstract

Purpose of review To review the recent literature on the burden of eating disorders in terms of mortality, disability, quality of life, economic cost, and family burden, compared with people without an eating disorder. Recent findings Estimates are that yearly over 3.3 million healthy life years worldwide are lost because of eating disorders. In contrast to other mental disorders, in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa years lived with disability (YLDs) have increased. Despite treatment advances, mortality rates of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa remain very high: those who have received inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa still have a more than five times increased mortality risk. Mortality risks for bulimia nervosa, and for anorexia nervosa treated outside the hospital, are lower but still about twice those of controls. In people with an eating disorder, quality of life is reduced, yearly healthcare costs are 48% higher than in the general population, the presence of mental health comorbidity is associated with 48% lower yearly earnings, the number of offspring is reduced, and risks for adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes are increased. Summary People with a current or former eating disorder are at risk of increased mortality, high YLD rates, a reduced quality of life, increased costs, and problems with childbearing.

Perceived Weight Gain and Eating Disorder Symptoms among LGBTQ+ Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Convergent Mixed-Method Study

“…These ndings rea rm prior research suggesting ED is an important and understudied public health concern. 47 While it is possible that, given the short time frame of the EDE-QS, that ED symptoms and weight-related concerns will subside post-pandemic, our study con rms that LGBTQ + individuals are experiencing elevated pandemic-related stress that may be detrimental to their physical and mental wellbeing.…”

Specialized post-inpatient psychotherapy for sustained recovery in anorexia nervosa via videoconference – study protocol of the randomized controlled SUSTAIN trial

“…A substantial number of patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) suffer from a serious course of this eating disorder (ED) [ 1 ] and therefore require day-hospital or inpatient treatment [ 2 – 4 ]. Many patients benefit from intense multi-modal hospital treatment in terms of a more rapid weight restoration as compared to outpatient care [ 5 ] and improvements in ED pathology at discharge [ 6 , 7 ].…”

“…Many patients benefit from intense multi-modal hospital treatment in terms of a more rapid weight restoration as compared to outpatient care [ 5 ] and improvements in ED pathology at discharge [ 6 , 7 ]. Unfortunately, initial treatment success often does not translate into sustained positive outcomes after discharge: Long-term follow-up data from a large sample of former inpatients treated for AN found remission rates as low as between 30 and 40% [ 8 ], and the mortality risk of former AN inpatients has been found to be five times higher than in the age- and gender-matched general population [ 2 ]. This poor prognosis for patients with AN is associated with high relapse rates.…”

Inpatients with severe-enduring anorexia nervosa: Understanding the “enduringness” specifier

“…However, the issue is more complicated when patients with SE-AN need to be hospitalized because of acute illness. In fact, those requiring hospitalization usually battle myriad medical, relational, and psychiatric needs [4], leading to a five times increased mortality risk [10]. Therefore, other severity indexes have been proposed, including QOL, motivation to recover, and number of previous treatment attempts [11].…”