New Study Reveals Long-Term Health Risks of Eating Disorders

A recent study published in the open-access journal BMJ Medicine highlights the complex and long-lasting health impacts of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. The research indicates that individuals diagnosed with these conditions face significantly heightened risks of serious health issues, such as diabetes, renal and liver failure, and premature death, particularly within the first year after diagnosis.

The study, which tracked the health of nearly 25,000 individuals in England over a twenty-year period from 1998 to 2018, emphasizes that the risks associated with eating disorders persist well beyond the initial diagnosis. Researchers analyzed anonymized medical records linked to Hospital Episode Statistics and death certification data. The sample consisted of 24,709 people aged 10 to 44, with a majority (89%) being female. These individuals were matched for age, sex, and general practice with a control group of 493,001 people without eating disorders.

Among those diagnosed with eating disorders, 14.5% had anorexia, 20.5% had bulimia, and 5% had binge eating disorder. The remaining 60% had unspecified eating disorders. The findings reveal alarming statistics regarding the health risks faced by this population. Within the first year of diagnosis, individuals were six times more likely to develop renal failure and nearly seven times more likely to be diagnosed with liver disease. Additionally, the risks for osteoporosis, heart failure, and diabetes were significantly elevated.

Continuing health threats were evident even five years post-diagnosis. The study found that risks of renal failure and liver disease remained 2.5 to nearly four times higher, with respectively 110 and 26 more cases than expected per 10,000 individuals after ten years. The impact on mental health was equally concerning; the risk of depression increased by seven times, and self-harm risks were more than nine times higher within twelve months of diagnosis.

The researchers also noted that the risk of death from any cause was over four times greater in the first year following a diagnosis of an eating disorder. This included a staggering five-fold increase in the risk of unnatural deaths, such as suicide. Even after five years, the risks remained significantly elevated, with corresponding increases in mortality rates.

The study highlights a critical gap in the understanding of how the severity of eating disorders correlates with health outcomes. The researchers state, “Our data describe the substantial long-term effects of eating disorders and emphasize the potential opportunity for primary care to have a greater role in offering support and long-term monitoring for individuals who are recovering from an eating disorder.”

To address these long-term health issues, they advocate for a more integrated approach to care, suggesting that both primary and specialist services need to coordinate efforts across physical and mental health domains. The researchers pointed out a potential gap in service provision for patients whose needs exceed the capabilities of low-intensity interventions but do not meet the criteria for specialized teams.

In a linked editorial, Dr. Jennifer Couturier and Ethan Nella from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, emphasized that, despite the high prevalence of eating disorders, their consequences often go unrecognized. They noted the limited education regarding eating disorders within medical training and stressed the necessity for healthcare professionals to be equipped with the tools to identify and manage these conditions effectively.

They concluded, “Multiple organ systems are affected by eating disorders, which then require an integration of care to adequately treat patients. This situation places primary care providers in an ideal position for leading and coordinating their care, suggesting that primary care settings would be apt for early and ongoing intervention.”

The findings from this comprehensive study underscore the importance of understanding the long-term implications of eating disorders, advocating for timely, integrated health services, and ongoing monitoring to improve the outcomes for affected individuals.