Association Between Anorexia Nervosa Severity and Social and Occupational Functioning across Adulthood

Greater lifetime severity of anorexia nervosa in a Danish cohort is linked to markedly worse educational, employment, income, and cohabitation outcomes, with severe cases showing ORs up to 3.84.

• Why it matters: Severe anorexia nervosa has high mortality, yet its long-term impact on social and work functioning is insufficiently mapped, limiting targeted support to reduce lasting disadvantage.
• What they did: Using a population-based Danish cohort of 2,442,916 people born 1963–1994, researchers followed outcomes to age 55 and classified illness severity with the AN Register-based Severity Index 5 years after first diagnosis.
• The result: Severe AN (1,996; 21.1% of diagnosed cases) had higher odds of non-completion of upper-secondary education at age 25 (OR=3.07) and at age 30 higher odds of unemployment (OR=3.42), income deficiency (OR=3.84), and living alone (OR=2.43), with divergence over time and minimal attenuation after adjustment.

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