Today we know a great deal about eating disorders. They are common, can become chronic and are potentially life-threatening conditions primarily affecting young women.  Anorexia nervosa is estimated to be the third most common chronic medical illness in girls aged 15-19 years and bulimia nervosa is even more common.  The death rates for anorexia nervosa are twice as high as seen in any other psychiatric disorder and more than 12 fold the number of deaths expected from all causes among women 15-24 years of age; mortality rates for bulimia nervosa are lower but not insignificant. 

Medical complications are typical during the acute phase of an eating disorder  and persist among those not successfully treated leading to a wide range of physical and emotional disorders into early adulthood. This is the bad news. The good news is that effective treatment dramatically reduces medical complications and mortality. Recovery is not only possible but also the most likely outcome with the right kind of care. Learn more about eating disorders in the section below.