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There are few reports describing long-term outcomes of patients with bulimia nervosa. This study provides follow-up for 173 women with bulimia diagnosed between 1981 and 1987; all patients met DSM-III criteria and, in addition, had binge eating with purging at least three times a week during the previous 6 months. The average age at onset was 17 years, and the mean duration of symptoms prior to clinical presentation was 6 years.
After an average follow-up period of 11.5 years, 18 percent of the women met DSM criteria for "eating disorder not otherwise specified," 11 percent met criteria for bulimia nervosa, and 1 percent met criteria for anorexia nervosa. Of the remaining 70 percent who were in remission, about one third were in partial remi…