Anorexia nervosa linked to stunted linear growth among young women
Written By : Hina Zahid
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2020-08-24 05:00 GMT | Update On 2020-08-24 07:15 GMT
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WASHINGTON - Girls with anorexia nervosa can have stunted growth and may not reach their full height potential, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Growth retardation is an established complication of anorexia nervosa (AN), however findings concerning adult height of Anorexia nervosa patients are inconsistent.
Anorexia nervosa is a condition in which a person loses an unhealthy amount of weight on purpose by dieting, sometimes along with excessive exercise, binge eating, and/or purging behaviors. People with anorexia nervosa have an intense fear of gaining weight and a disturbed body image (such as thinking they are fat even when they are very underweight).
"Our findings emphasize the importance of early and intensive intervention aiming at normalization of body weight, which may result in improved growth and allow patients to reach their full height potential," said the study's corresponding author, Dalit Modan-Moses, M.D., of The Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, in Tel Hashomer, Israel. "We suggest that the height impairment is a marker for other complications of anorexia nervosa affecting the person's overall health in several aspects: bone health, cognitive function, and problems with pregnancy and childbirth later in life. Early diagnosis and treatment could prevent, or at least reduce, the risk of these complications."
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