[Bone mineral density of eating disorder]

Osteoporosis recently has been added to growing list of medical complications assisted with eating disorder in particular Anorexia nervosa. These often occur early in the course of anorexia in adolescent girls, presumably because this disorder not only interrupts the normal rapid bone accretion characteristic of adolescences, but also accelerate bone loss. The pathogenesis of osteoporosis in AN has not been completely characterized. While low body mass and amenorrhea are clearly important variables, other focters also may be involved. Some possible contributing factors in patients with AN include low Ca intake, increased glucocorticoids, insulin growth factor 1 deficiency. Simple weight gain needs to be part of the treatment, although it and exercise remain of unproven benefit for osteoporosis in patients with AN. But some studies have found that the clinical course of osteoporosis is not reversed simply with weight restoration. Long term studies are needed to answer the question of whether osteoporosis assisted with eating disorder is reversible.