Light For People Who Are Suffering From Eating Disorders: Study Shows A Higher Recovery Chance

Women who are suffering from eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia are thought of having a little chance of survival. However, a new study suggests that there are nearly two-thirds of those who suffer did recover from their illness. But then, it might take more than a year for them to become better.

According to Black Christian News, there are about 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States alone, who are suffering from an eating disorder. Meanwhile, there is about 4 to 5 percent of death rates from a bulimic and anorexic patient. Anorexia is a condition that involves self-starvation leading to an alarming weight loss, while bulimia involves binge-eating and compensatory behaviors to "compensate" eating, such as vomiting.

Earlier research implies that only half of those who suffer from an eating disorder recover. However, new study the recent study recruited about 246 women who are suffering from the said condition for further understanding. All of them were treated in "Boston area from 1987 to 1991. 110 of them had bulimia while the rest are anorexic patients. Most of the participants are on their 20's when the study took place. Majority of the women were white.

The researchers focused more on 176 patients who participated in taking part in a follow-up study that will happen for 20 to 25 years. Meanwhile, 18 of them died, 15 were missing, and 37 did not agree to participate. Those who consented the researchers for a follow-up study had given an amazing outcome. 63 percent of the anorexic patients and 68 of those who are suffering from bulimia were able to recover. The study described recovery as moving on without any symptoms for a year, as per USNews.

"Our study showed that given time, most individuals with anorexia and bulimia will recover," said Kamryn Eddy, the co-director of the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.