Anorexia nervosa: some observations on "dieters" and "vomiters", cholesterol and carotene.

Twenty consecutive cases of anorexia nervosa admitted to a general medical ward were found to consist of ten who reduced weight by means of dieting and ten who in addition employed self-induced vomiting. Clinical and biochemical differences between "dieters' and "vomiters' were less pronounced than those reported elsewhere. However, the "vomiters' had higher scores on the anxiety, somatic and depression subscales of the Crown-Crisp Experiential Index and lower serum carotene concentrations. The implications of these findings are discussed.