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Anorexia Nervosa of Late Onset

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

N. Boast
Affiliation:
Royal Free Hospital
E. Coker
Affiliation:
Royal Free Hospital
A. Wakeling*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG
*
Correspondence

Abstract

Forty-two female anorexia nervosa patients, with onset of first illness at 25 or more years of age, are described and compared with 143 patients with onset of first illness between the ages of 15 and 20 years. The data support the view that the older group forms part of the total population of anorexia nervosa patients, but that age exerts a pathoplastic influence on psychopathology and psychosocial stressors. Older patients lost more weight, but did not have significantly higher rates of concurrent mood disorder.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1992 

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