Comorbidity and outcome in eating disorders.

This article reviews the data on comorbidity, course, and outcome in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Recovery, relapse, the process of recovery, and predictors of outcome are reviewed. Although significant differences exist among outcome studies, the data suggest that patients with anorexia and bulimia tend to improve symptomatically over time. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are associated with substantial rates of comorbidity. The relationship between eating disorders and depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and personality disorders is discussed.