Eating Disorders Risk Assessment and Body Esteem among Amateur and Professional Football Players.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of eating disorders and attitudes toward one's own body among football players at amateur and professional levels. METHODS: The study included 90 players from football clubs located in the Upper Silesia Metropolitan Area, participating in the 4th and 5th leagues in Poland. A survey questionnaire was used to conduct the study, which consisted of a metric section, an Eating Attitudes Test, and Body Esteem Scale questionnaires. The players were divided into two groups according to their sports level. RESULTS: Results showed that 24.4% of players were overweight, while 75.6% had a normative body weight. Approximately 16.7% met the criteria indicating susceptibility to an eating disorder. Body Esteem Scale interpretations revealed moderate body appraisal among players. CONCLUSIONS: Both amateur and professional athletes showed no significant difference in eating disorder risk, but professionals rated their bodies higher. Social media use, particularly on Twitter and Instagram, is correlated with eating disorders, with longer daily use associated with lower body ratings.

Characterizing Medical Complications in Publicly Insured Youth With Eating Disorders.

PURPOSE: The present study describes the occurrence of eating disorder (ED)-related medical diagnoses in a publicly insured sample of youth with EDs. The study also compares ED medical diagnoses with other psychiatric disorders and identifies high-risk demographic groups. Improved screening practices are needed in public mental health systems where treatment is critical for youth with EDs. METHODS: Medicaid claims data were obtained from the state of California, including beneficiaries ages 7-18 who had at least one service episode between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016. From this population we extracted demographic and claims data for those youth who received an ED diagnosis during the 3-year period as a primary or secondary diagnosis (n = 8,075). Random subsamples of youth with moderate/severe mental illness were drawn for comparison: primary or secondary diagnosis of mood/anxiety disorder (N = 8,000) or psychotic disorder (n = 8,000) were also extracted. Medical diagnoses were compared within youth with EDs (across diagnostic categories) and across psychiatric diagnoses (EDs, mood/anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders). Logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Three-quarters of youth with EDs received no diagnosis of an ED-related medical complication. Bradycardia was the most prevalent diagnosis suggestive of medical instability. Odds of medical diagnosis were greater for ED than other psychiatric disorders but varied with age and gender. Across all diagnoses, Latinx youth were less likely to receive ED-related diagnoses suggesting medical instability. DISCUSSION: Most publicly insured youth with EDs received no ED-related medical diagnosis, underscoring the structural barriers to receiving expert medical care.

Assessment of eating disorders and depression in postpartum women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of eating disorders and orthorexia in postpartum women and examine the relationship with postpartum depression. STUDY DESIGN: Included in this study were 227 postpartum women. The Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) was used to determine the risk of eating disorders in the women, followed by the Orthorexia 11 Scale (ORTO-11) to identify orthorexia, and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) to identify postpartum depression. RESULTS: 63 of the women (27.8%) exhibited an orthorexic tendency, which was also related to eating disorders and postpartum depression. Each one-point increase in the EAT-26 score led to a decrease of 0.32 points in the ORTO-11 score. Similarly, each one-point increase in the EPDS score caused a reduction of 0.18 points in the ORTO-11 score. The ORTO-11 score increased by 0.26 points per each live birth. CONCLUSION: An obsessive focus on healthful nutrition may result in the impairment of health and numerous adverse psychological and physiological outcomes in the future. Healthy eating habits should be maintained to improve the quality of life without causing an obsession with healthy eating.

The prevalence of disordered eating in outpatient general psychiatry settings in publicly insured populations: a case series.

There is a dearth of research assessing the prevalence of eating disorders in publicly insured populations. While evidence shows that eating disorders affect people of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, research has neglected to focus on the rate at which they occur among those who have public health insurance. The present study indexes the prevalence of clinically significant disordered eating in a case series of 165 adults in a publicly insured sample at an outpatient general psychiatry clinic in Los Angeles, California. Results illustrate that 46 (27.8%) participants screened positive for clinically significant disordered eating with no significant differences relating to age or gender in those who screened positive versus those who did not (p > .05). This markedly elevated frequency of disordered eating presentations underscores the need for improved clinician training and education around disordered eating and eating disorder assessment as a whole. In addition, there is a critical need to study publicly insured populations so as to mitigate stereotypes about who has eating disorders and improve the likelihood of diagnosis and care.

Intersecting gender identity and racial/ethnic inequities in eating disorder risk factors, symptoms, and diagnosis among U.S. college students: An intersectional multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy.

INTRODUCTION: There are documented inequities in eating disorders (EDs) by gender and race/ethnicity, yet, little is known about population-level prevalence of ED risk factors, symptoms, and diagnosis at the intersection of diverse gender and racial/ethnic identities. METHODS: Data from the Healthy Minds Study 2015-2019 (N = 251,310 U.S. university students) were used in a multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (MAIHDA). Participants were nested in 35 intersectional strata given by all combinations of 5 gender and 7 racial/ethnic categories. Multilevel logistic models with participants at level 1 and intersectional strata at level 2 were used to estimate stratum-specific predicted prevalence estimates for self-reported thin-ideal internalization, ED symptoms, and ED diagnosis. The variance partition coefficient (VPC) was calculated to quantify the contextual effect of the strata. RESULTS: There was considerable heterogeneity in the predicted prevalence of our ED outcomes across the strata (e.g., .3%-18.3% for ED diagnoses). There were large disparities in all three outcomes, with transgender participants of color having a higher predicted prevalence than expected based on the additive effects of gender and race/ethnicity. Moderation by race/ethnicity was also apparent, such that racial/ethnic disparities were wider within the cisgender groups relative to the transgender groups. VPCs indicated that ~10% of the total variance in ED outcomes was due to intersectionality between gender and race/ethnicity, over and above variance due to individual-level differences. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that gender and racial/ethnic disparities in EDs are interrelated, underscoring the need to develop preventive interventions centering health equity. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Despite evidence that sexism, racism, and cissexism (i.e., anti-transgender prejudice) can impact EDs risk, little research examines the social patterning of EDs at the intersection of diverse gender and racial/ethnic identities. Using data from a sample of 250,000 U.S. university students, this study found that gender and racial/ethnic disparities in eating disorder risk are interrelated, highlighting the need to develop health equity centered preventive interventions.

Eating disorders in transgender and gender diverse people: characteristics, assessment, and management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes recent research on eating disorders among gender minorities, transgender and gender diverse people. The focus is on research published in 2022 and the first half of 2023. RECENT FINDINGS: Up to 1.2% of young people and 0.3-0.5% of adults identify as transgender, and 2.7-8.4% of young people and 0.3-4.5% of adults report some degree of gender diversity. About 20-50% of transgender and gender diverse people report engaging in disordered eating and >30% screen positive for eating disorder symptoms, and 2-12% have received an eating disorder diagnosis from a health professional. Many transgender and gender diverse people describe eating disorder symptoms as a way of coping with gender dysphoria. They also report high levels of mental and behavioral symptoms, particularly mood and anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, trauma-related symptoms and disorders, alcohol and substance use, and autism. Gender minorities frequently experience discrimination, victimization, and violence, primarily sexual and physical violence. The minority stress model attributes mental health symptoms to these factors. Promising interventions based on the minority stress model have recently become available, but more research is needed on how to support transgender and gender diverse people with eating disorders. To manage eating disorders in this population, gender-affirming care should be combined with specialist eating disorder treatment. SUMMARY: Gender minorities are at high risk for eating disorders. Future studies should assess what is the most appropriate treatment for transgender and gender diverse people with eating disorders.

Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders in Pediatric Obesity: Assessment and Next Steps.

While the exact prevalence of disordered eating in youth who are overweight and have obesity has not been determined, studies show that the odds of a young adult (18-24 years) with obesity engaging in disordered eating behaviors is 2.45 times more likely to occur than in young adults with Body Mass Indexes (BMI) in the normative range. The purpose of this review is to highlight the role that disordered eating and eating disorders may play in pediatric obesity and the importance of screening for these conditions. The ability to identify and assess disordered eating alters the course of treatment. Without an understanding of the intersection of obesity and disordered eating, medical providers may continue treatment-as-usual. Doing so may inadvertently contribute to internalized weight bias in patients with obesity and exacerbate their disordered eating symptoms and behaviors. In addition, understanding the spectrum of disordered eating in pediatric patients with obesity allows providers to tailor treatments, discuss food and physical activity differently, and know when to refer patients to eating-disorder-specific providers for continued treatment.

Temporal associations between experiential avoidance and disordered eating behaviors in adolescents and young adults: findings from an epidemiological cohort study with ecological momentary assessment.

PURPOSE: Previous studies linking experiential avoidance (EA) and eating pathology have largely relied on single measurements based on traditional retrospective questionnaires. Taking advantage of available repeated assessments of EA and disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in the everyday lives of young people from an epidemiological cohort, we aimed to investigate ecologically valid temporal associations between these constructs. METHODS: A random population sample of N = 1180 14-21-year-olds from Dresden, Germany, participated at baseline (2015/2016). As part of smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA), participants reported on engagement in EA and four DEBs (skipping eating, eating large amounts of food, loss-of-control eating, and restrained eating) up to eight times per day for four days. Multilevel modeling of concurrent and time-lagged associations between EA and DEBs, was conducted among those with at least 50% EMA-compliance (n = 1069). RESULTS: EA was associated with higher concurrent levels of all four types of concurrent DEBs. In addition, EA significantly predicted subsequent levels of restrained eating. Only loss-of-control eating significantly predicted subsequent EA, and this effect depended on the timespan between consecutive assessments. When this timespan was short, higher Loss-of-control eating predicted lower subsequent EA, while it predicted higher subsequent EA when the timespan was longer. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that EA is temporally closely linked to greater engagement in DEBs, supporting theoretical assumptions that DEBs may serve an attempted avoidance function in the context of unpleasant inner experiences. Future studies may benefit from examining samples with more pronounced eating pathology. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV: Evidence obtained from multiple time series with or without the intervention, such as case studies.

A Qualitative Assessment of the Treatment Needs of Women with Concurrent Eating and Substance Use Disorders in a Residential Setting.

Objectives: Eating and substance use disorders (SUD) are generally treated separately, leaving eating disorders (ED) overlooked within substance use treatment. The frequent co-occurrence of SUD and ED is well documented. Despite their many similarities and frequent co-occurrence, these two disorder types continue to be largely treated separately-either sequentially, with the most severe disorder addressed first, or concurrently but in separate programs. Our study, therefore, responds to this lacuna of data on patient and provider treatment needs for integrated ED and SUD treatment, centering the perspectives of women with lived experience of ED and SUD to support the development of therapeutic groups for women in treatment programs. Methods: This study was designed as a needs and assets assessment to determine the needs and priorities of women with concurrent ED and SUD for developing group programs. Participants for the needs assessment included both staff members (n = 10) and women receiving treatment (n = 10) who were recruited from a 90-day residential treatment program for women with SUD in British Columbia, Canada. Interviews and focus groups conducted with participants were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were thematically analyzed and coded using Dedoose software. Results: Six key themes emerged from the qualitative data and were organized into sections with sub themes. An overarching premise from both staff and program participants was the need for concurrent therapeutic programming, nutritional support, and medical monitoring. The six discrete themes that were elicited included the similarities between ED and SUD, gaps in treatment, community support, family involvement, program participant treatment suggestions, staff treatment suggestions, and family involvement. Conclusions: Throughout this qualitative study, the need for screening and assessment of both disorders along with integrated treatment was stressed by participants, both program participants and staff alike. These findings complement current literature and suggest that pursuing concurrent treatment design may be helpful in addressing unmet program participant needs and could provide a more holistic framework for recovery.

How does the increase in eating difficulties according to the Development and Well-Being Assessment screening items relate to the population prevalence of eating disorders? An analysis of the 2017 Mental Health in Children and Young People survey.

OBJECTIVE: We examine the test accuracy of the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) eating disorder screening items to explore whether the increased eating difficulties detected in the English National Mental Health of Children and Young People (MHCYP) Surveys 2021 reflect an increased population prevalence. METHODS: Study 1 calculated sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values from responses to the DAWBA screening items from 4057 11-19-year-olds and their parents, in the 2017 MHCYP survey. Study 2 applied the positive predictive value to data from 1844 11-19-year-olds responding to the 2021 follow-up to estimate the prevalence of eating disorders in England compared to 2017 prevalence. RESULTS: Parental report most accurately predicted an eating disorder (93.6%, 95% confidence interval: 92.7-94.5). Sensitivity increased when parent and child answers were combined, and with a higher threshold (of two) for children. The prevalence of eating disorders in 2021 was 1% in 17-19-year-olds, and .6% in 11-16-year-olds-similar to the prevalence reported in 2017 (.8% and .6%, respectively). However, estimates for boys (.2%-.4%) and young men (.0%-.4%) increased. DISCUSSION: We found tentative evidence of increased population prevalence of eating disorders, particularly among young men. Despite this, the DAWBA screening items are useful for ruling out eating disorders, particularly when parents or carers screen negative, but are relatively poor at predicting who will have a disorder. Data from both parents and children and applying a higher cut point improves accuracy but at the expense of more missed cases. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The prevalence of eating disorders did not markedly change from 2017 to 2021, but we found tentative evidence of an increase, particularly among young men. This is despite larger increases in problematic eating, which need further investigation. The DAWBA screen is best suited to ruling out eating disorders which limits its clinical applications as it would provide many false positives requiring further assessment.

Prevalence of diagnosed eating disorders in US transgender adults and youth in insurance claims.

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the prevalence of diagnosed eating disorders, overall and by select demographics, among commercially insured individuals identified as transgender in a national claims database. METHODS: From the 2018 IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Database, there were 10,415 people identifiable as transgender based on International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) codes and procedure codes, specific to gender-affirming care, from inpatient and outpatient claims. Eating disorders were identified from ICD-10 codes and included anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, eating disorder not otherwise specified, avoidant restrictive feeding and intake disorder, and other specified feeding and eating disorders. We estimated the prevalence of specific eating disorders diagnoses by selecting patient characteristics. RESULTS: Of individuals receiving some form of gender-affirming care, 2.43% (95% confidence interval: 2.14%-2.74%) were diagnosed with an eating disorder: 0.84% anorexia nervosa, 0.36% bulimia nervosa, 0.36% binge eating disorder, 0.15% avoidant restrictive feeding and intake disorder, 0.41% other specified feeding and eating disorders, and 1.37% with an unspecified eating disorder. Among transgender-identifiable patients aged 12-15 years, 5.60% had an eating disorder diagnosis, whereas 0.52% had an eating disorder diagnosis in patients aged 45-64 years. DISCUSSION: In patients identifiable as transgender, with receipt of gender-affirming care, the prevalence of diagnosed eating disorders was low compared to extant self-reported data for eating disorder diagnosis in transgender individuals. Among this population, eating disorders were highest in adolescents and young adults. Clinically verified prevalence estimates for eating disorder diagnosis in transgender people with a history of gender-affirming care warrant further investigation. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: The present study aims to provide clinically validated, contemporary prevalence estimates for diagnosed eating disorders among a medically affirmed population of transgender adults and children in the United States. We report low prevalence of having any eating disorder relative to prevalence estimates reported in prior literature without clinical validation. These findings may be explained by access to affirming care and medical care generally.

Headache, eating disorders, PTSD, and comorbidity: implications for assessment and treatment.

PURPOSE: Severe headaches (HAs) have been associated with eating disorders (ED) as well as with trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression and anxiety. However, data addressing all of these factors in the same subjects are limited. METHODS: In a large sample of patients (n = 1461, 93% female) admitted to residential treatment (RT) for an ED, we assessed within 48-72 h of admission subjective reports of frequent HAs and their associations with severity of ED, PTSD, major depressive and state-trait anxiety symptoms, as well as quality of life measures. HA ratings were significantly correlated to the number of lifetime trauma types as well as to symptoms of PTSD, major depression, and state-trait anxiety. RESULTS: Results indicated that 39% of patients endorsed that frequent HAs occurred "often" or "always" (HA+) in association with their eating or weight issues. This HA-positive (HA+) group had statistically significant higher numbers of lifetime trauma types, higher scores on measures of ED, PTSD, major depressive, and state-trait anxiety symptoms, and worse quality of life measures (p ≤ 0.001) in comparison to the HA-negative (HA-) group, who endorsed that frequent HAs occurred "never," "rarely," or "sometimes" in association with their eating or weight issues. The HA + group also had a significantly higher rate of a provisional PTSD diagnosis (64%) than the HA- group (35%) (p ≤ .001). Following comprehensive RT, HA frequency significantly improved (p ≤ .001). CONCLUSION: These findings have important implications for the assessment and treatment of HAs in the context of ED, PTSD and related psychiatric comorbidities, especially at higher levels of care. In addition, the importance of identifying traumatic histories and treating comorbid PTSD and related psychopathology in individuals presenting with severe HAs is emphasized. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.

Assessment of the eating disorders and relationship with dental caries, age, gender, and body mass index in a sample of Turkish adolescents aged 9 through 15.

Background and Aims: Eating disorders (ED) are an important public health problem for adolescents due to changing eating attitudes. Using the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) with a sample of Turkish adolescents aged 9-15 years, this study evaluated the behavioral risk of ED and its association with dental caries, age, body mass index (BMI), and gender. Subjects and Methods: The EAT-26 scoring system was used, and variables examined included demographic, familial, sociocultural, social, and clinical features. Data were analyzed using SPSS® Statistics for Windows, version 20.0. (IBM, New York, NY, USA). Results: A total of 112 adolescents, 46 (41.1%) boys, and 66 (58.9%) girls (mean age 11.46 ± 1.91 years), were evaluated. EAT-26 mean scores were 16.0 (10.0-21.0) for girls and 14.0 (12.0-23.0) for boys (Mann Whitney U test; P = 0.509). There was no statistically significant difference between the mean BMI scores and the mean EAT-26 scores for girls and boys (Mann Whitney U test) (P = 0.509) (P = 0.636). The mean DMFT decay-missing-filled and total) was higher in EAT-26 >20 than in EAT-26 <20, and the difference was statistically significant (Mann Whitney U test; P = 0.008). BMI was not correlated with EAT-26 (Spearman rank correlation test, r = -0.013, P = 0.156), but there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the development of caries and age (Spearman rank correlation test, r = 0.405, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Early diagnosis of ED is crucial because it primarily starts during childhood and adolescence. It is responsible for the dft of the deciduous teeth. BMI is related to decay,missed,filled,total (DMFT), decay, filled, total (dft), and age in adolescents aged 9-15 years. Furthermore, we searched subgroups of EAT-26 for dental caries. Dieting score may be a significant factor for dental caries for ED. However, observing ability is an important factor for dentists because they can inform parents and provide information on preventing ED.

Eating disorders in the U.S. Medicare population.

OBJECTIVE: The social and economic burden of eating disorders is significant and often financially devastating. Medicare is the largest public insurer in the United States and provides coverage for older adults and some disabled individuals. This study explores prevalence, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and health care spending for Medicare enrollees with eating disorders. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted with the nationally representative 20% sample of 2016 Medicare inpatient, outpatient, carrier, and home health fee-for-service claims and Medicare Advantage encounter records. Sociodemographic characteristics and comorbid somatic conditions were compared between individuals with versus without an eating disorder diagnosis. Mean spending was compared overall and separately for inpatient, outpatient, home health, and pharmacy claims. RESULTS: The sample included 11,962,287 Medicare enrollees of whom 0.15% had an eating disorder diagnosis. Compared to those without a 2016 eating disorder diagnosis, a greater proportion of individuals with an eating disorder were female (73.8% vs. 54.3%), under age 65 (41.6% vs. 15.5%), and dually eligible for Medicaid due to disability or low-income qualification (48.0% vs. 19.6%). Individuals with eating disorders had higher rates of comorbid conditions, with the greatest differences in cardiac arrythmias (35.3% vs. 19.9%), arthritis (40.1% vs. 26.6%), and thyroid conditions (32.2% vs. 19.4%). Spending was higher for enrollees with eating disorders compared to those without overall ($29,456 vs. $7,418) and across settings. DISCUSSION: The findings establish that eating disorders occur in the Medicare population, and that enrollees with these illnesses have risk factors associated with significant healthcare spending and adverse health outcomes.

Autistic characteristics in eating disorders: Treatment adaptations and impact on clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Autistic people with eating disorders (EDs) may have special needs that are not met in standard ED treatment, raising the need for treatment adaptations to accommodate co-existing autism spectrum condition (ASC). Little is currently known about the nature of existing treatment options or adaptations for this population. We conducted a pre-registered systematic review to: (1) identify research articles describing existing interventions for patients with ED and comorbid ASC, and to critically review evidence of their clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness (Review 1); (2) review the impact of ASC comorbidity on ED clinical outcomes (Review 2). METHOD: Peer-reviewed studies published until the end of December 2020 were identified through a systematic search of the electronic databases: Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus and Cochrane Library. RESULTS: Only one clinical pathway of treatment adaptations (the 'PEACE' pathway) was identified in Review 1 with early evidence of cost-savings and favourable treatment outcomes. ASC characteristics were shown in Review 2 to have no direct impact on physical outcomes or ED symptoms, but could be associated with higher rates of comorbidities and greater use of intensive ED treatment. Additionally, patients with ASC characteristics may benefit more from individual sessions, rather than group sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Any new treatments or treatment adaptations may not directly impact on ED symptoms, but may be better able to support the complex needs of the ASC population, thus reducing subsequent need for intensive treatment. Future research is warranted to explore evidence of clinical and cost-effectiveness of interventions for this population.

Psychometric Assessment of an Online Self-Test Measuring Risky Eating Behavior, Depression, Social Anxiety, and Self-Injury in Mexican Adolescents.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of OTESSED, an online test for the self-detection and prevention of risk factors for eating disorders and related problems, such as depression, social anxiety, and self-injury, in samples of male and female adolescents. Participants formed a non-probability sample of N = 577 high school students. The mean ages of boys and girls were the same (Mage = 15.61; SD = 0.73). Among the main results, scales of depression, self-injury, social anxiety, and risky eating behavior (REB) with construct validity (CFA) were obtained. The first two showed the same structure (two factors per sex), with an appropriate reliability omega value (0.92), and a similar percentage of explained variance (≥50). The REB scale presented two factors for boys and three for girls, with an appropriate omega value (0.88) and explained variance percentage (0.56). The instrument validation process was completed, meeting the discriminant validity criterion for each scale of the OTESSED.

What can we learn about eating disorder mortality from eating disorder diagnoses at initial assessment? A Danish nationwide register follow-up study using record linkage, encompassing 45 years (1970-2014).

Increased risk for premature mortality is well established for women and girls diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN), but less is known for other types of eating disorder (ED), and especially the mortality outcome for boys and men is under-studied. In this registry-based observational epidemiological study, we included all people appearing in the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register with an eating disorder (ED) diagnosis in the time period from Jan 1,1970 to Dec 31, 2014 (N: 22,633). For each patient four controls without ED were selected, matched for age, sex and place of residence (N: 90486). In all 802 people with ED died over 255762.6 person-years of observation. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all-cause mortality and suicide mortality was significantly increased for all ED-diagnoses in women. The SMRs for men were similar, but only reached significance for the diagnoses AN and unspecified ED. Mortality by natural causes and accidents was significantly increased in most ED-diagnoses in women. The unequal female-to-male ratio in this, and most other studies of ED-patients, suggests that boys and men with ED have unmet needs.