These studies have all demonstrated the efficacy of this treatment - approximately two thirds
of adolescent AN patients are recovered at the end of family-based treatment while 75 -90%
are fully weight recovered at five-year follow-up(3). Similar improvements in terms of
psychological factors were also noted for these patients. Clinical and research endeavors by
the Universities of Chicago and Stanford have shown promising results in their family-based
treatment studies, which are comparable to the positive outcomes that were initially
established in the Maudsley studies. These researchers have shown that most young patients
with AN require on average no more than 20 treatment sessions over the course of 6-12
months, and that about 80% of patients are weight restored with a start or resumption of
menses at the conclusion of treatment(4).