Anorexia Nervosa and Low Weight EDNOS: A 10‐year Study of Service Consumption and Outcome in a Local Specialised Service for Adults

Abstract

A 10-year retrospective case note study of adults with eating disorders at low weight examined levels of service consumption and the outcome in terms of body mass index. Records of 202 such patients, referred to a specialist secondary service, were studied. Just over one quarter of the patients failed to engage in treatment, attending five or fewer appointments. Of those who did engage, most were treated as out-patients and had an average contact with the service of almost 2.5 years and 46 sessions. Only about one in six patients was admitted as an in-patient at any time. These results suggest that most adults with eating disorder at low weight can be managed as out-patients. However, service providers should expect prolonged contact and high service consumption.