Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a mental health condition characterised by severe body image concerns and an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. This leads to restricted eating – resulting in a very low body weight.
Our findings
AN is a very serious illness – one in 10 people who develop the condition will die from starvation or suicide. People with AN often have poor quality of life and other mental health conditions, including depression or anxiety.
AN has two subtypes:
- binge-eating and purging subtype where people compensate for episodes of ‘bingeing’ by vomiting, using laxatives or exercising excessively
- restrictive subtype where binge-eating and purging behaviours are not present.
Key findings
1.2 to 2.2% of females will develop AN
1 in 10 people with AN are male
1 in 10 people with AN die from starvation or suicide
Prevalence
It is estimated that 1.2 to 2.2 percent of females will develop AN over their lifetime. Males also get AN, but less frequently, with approximately one in 10 people with AN being male.
The onset of AN tends to occur in mid to late adolescence or early adulthood. Its course varies with some recovering after a single episode, others alternating between being ill and well, and some remain ill for a very long time.
Possible causes
The causes of AN remain unknown. However, psychological, sociocultural and biological factors are thought to contribute to the illness. Psychological risk factors include high perfectionistic traits and obsessive-compulsive behaviours, whereas sociocultural factors include being a white female in an industrialised society. A number of biological risk factors may also play a role, including a person’s genes and the way their brain functions.
Symptoms
Common symptoms include:
- severe weight loss
- dieting behaviours
- loss of menstruation in females
- preoccupation with eating, food, body shape or weight
- distorted body image
- low self-esteem
- depression and anxiety
- perfectionism
- black-and-white thinking.
Treatment options
Treatment for AN typically involves family therapy for adolescents and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for adults. Sometimes people with AN require hospitalisation to help restore their body weight.
Psychological and psychiatric treatment is important, which can be administered in an inpatient hospital setting through a day patient program, as an outpatient or through private services.
Contact the Centre for Mental Health and Brain Sciences
We work with academia, industry and government to form meaningful and impactful partnerships. For more information, please email cmhbs@swinburne.edu.au.