Evaluation of growth in anorexia nervosa from serial measurements

Measured longitudinal growth data in a sample of 66 patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) (58 females and 8 males) is compared to expected growth from normative standards. The data was subject to cross-sectional as well as longitudinal analysis. Females had a normal growth rate and pattern, in particular a normal sequence and timing of pubertal events. Distribution of weight for age indicated a slight (non-significant) overweight before onset of anorexia nervosa. Weight by height was significantly above the expected before onset of AN. Mean age at Peak Height Velocity (PHV) was 11.5 yr. Mean size of PHV 8.03 cm/yr. A subsample of females (those with onset of AN after menarche) had a mean age of menarche of 12.88 yr. Mean distance in time from age at PHV to age at menarche was 1.34 yr. These results are normal for Scandinavian girls. Male anorexics were tall for age, heavy for age and, where a PHV could be seen (5 out of 8 cases), had signs of early puberty. Mean age at PHV was 11.8 yr, a highly significant difference from the normal mean age at PHV which is 14.06 yr for Scandinavian boys. Weight by height was distributed as in the reference population, that is, with no indication of pre-morbid obesity for male probands.