New Delhi, June 12: An eating disease called anorexia nervosa may put patients at high risk for mental health issues and early death, a study published on Wednesday suggested. Mayo Clinic describes anorexia nervosa as an eating disorder characterised by unusually low body weight and a strong fear of gaining weight.

A study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, revealed that patients with anorexia nervosa have high death rates, which nearly double when paired with psychiatric disorders. Eating Disorders Can Be Detected Earlier Using Electrolytes as Diagnostic Tool.

For the study, researchers analysed data on 14,774 patients who were followed for a median time of 9.1 years (and up to 40 years). The results showed that people with anorexia nervosa had a 4.5 times higher risk of dying during follow-up compared with those in the general population.

Out of all the patients, 47% had a mental health issue, which increased their chance of dying young by 1.9 times when compared to those who did not. A 4-fold increased risk of 10-year mortality was linked to anorexia nervosa combined with a psychiatric disorder when diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 25. Sex did not significantly affect the mortality risk. Moreover, suicide accounted for 13.9% of the total fatalities among anorexic patients. Meditation Helpful for Anorexia Patients.

Mette Soeby, a doctoral student at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, said, "These findings highlight the crucial need for clinicians to recognise additional mental health disorders in adolescents and adults with anorexia."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 12, 2024 06:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).