People with anorexia almost twice as likely to die if they have other mental illnesses

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-06-12 17:01

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A Danish study of 14,774 patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and around 150,000 people without the condition, all followed up for an average of nearly 10 years, found death rates are 4.5 times higher among people with anorexia, and having another psychiatric condition as well as anorexia almost doubled the increased likelihood of dying prematurely. Patients who were diagnosed with anorexia between the ages of six and 25 and also had another psychiatric condition were most at risk, with a four times higher likelihood of dying, compared to those with anorexia alone. There was no difference in death risk between male and female patients, the authors say, and around one in seven deaths among people with anorexia were due to suicide. It's important that doctors recognise other mental health issues among young people with anorexia as these patients are at particularly high risk of dying, the authors conclude.

Media release

From: Wiley

Do psychiatric conditions increase the risk of early death in individuals with anorexia nervosa?

A new study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that mortality rates are high in patients with anorexia nervosa and nearly double in the presence of psychiatric conditions.

For the study, investigators analyzed data on all individuals diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in Denmark in 1977-2018. This included 14,774 patients who were followed for a median time of 9.1 years (and up to 40 years) and were matched 1:10 with age- and sex-matched individuals in the general population.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa had a 4.5-times higher risk of dying during follow-up compared with those in the general population. Psychiatric conditions were present in 47% of patients with anorexia nervosa, and the presence of these conditions was associated with a 1.9-fold higher risk of 10-year mortality compared with the absence of these conditions. When diagnosed at age 6–25 years, having a psychiatric condition in addition to anorexia nervosa was associated with a 4-fold higher risk of 10-year mortality.

The mortality risk was similar according to sex. Also, 13.9% of all deaths in patients with anorexia nervosa were due to suicide.

“These findings highlight the crucial need for clinicians to recognize additional mental health disorders in adolescents and adults with anorexia,” said corresponding author Mette Søeby, an MD and PhD student at Aarhus University/Aarhus University Hospital.

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Journal/
conference: International Journal of Eating Disorders

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Aarhus University, Denmark

Funder: The Danish Foundation for Research in Mental Disorders; The Novo Nordic Foundation, Grant/Award Number: NNF20OC0065175

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