Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Long-term health-related quality of life in eating disorders
Veera Pohjolainen1,2,3,4, Salla Koponen5,6, Pirjo Räsänen7
1Department of Psychiatry, Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, Helsinki, Finland. veera.pohjolainen@fimnet.fi.
Objective:
There is limited evidence on the long-term development of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in eating disorders and its relation to eating disorder symptoms. Our objective was to measure long-term change in the HRQoL of eating disorder patients and compare it to normal population.
Methods:
Fifty-four bulimia nervosa (BN) and forty-seven anorexia nervosa (AN) patients (ICD-10 diagnosis) entering treatment completed the 15D HRQoL questionnaire and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) before and approximately 8 years after the start of treatment.
Results:
Baseline HRQoL was severely impaired in the patients. During follow-up, mean HRQoL, body mass index (BMI) and EDI improved statistically significantly in both groups. BMI of AN patients reached normal values, but HRQoL was still severely impaired in both AN and BN compared to general population.
Conclusions:
The long-term HRQoL after treatment continues to improve, but is still after 8 years poor. Eating disorders are very serious conditions with long-lasting impact on quality of life even after symptom remission.
Related Concept Videos
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Binge Eating Disorders
Bulimia Nervosa
Taste Buds and Receptors
Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
