Abstract. In a retrospective study of women aged 18–30
years, aimed at assessing factors associated with peak
bone mass (PBM), 13 of 239 study cases reported having
had anorexia nervosa. The mean total femoral and
lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) values were not
significantly lower in women who had had anorexia than
in the pooled group (mean Z-scores of –0.60 and –0.48).
Cases with less than 6 years since the anorexia had on
average a present weight 5.7 kg less than their premorbid
weights, while cases with more than 6 years
since the eating disorder had an average weight 22.5 kg
above their pre-morbid weights. The cases who had not
regained their weight had BMD values significantly
lower than the pooled material (mean Z-scores –1.15 and
–0.9 in the lumbar spine and total femur respectively).
Those who had regained their weight had BMD values as
predicted from their present anthropometric data, while
those who had not regained their weight had BMD
values that were substantially below that predicted from
their present weight. Anorexia nervosa seems to be
associated with a low BMD which is even lower than
that which can be predicted from the weight loss alone.
This suggests that weight loss and other factors, such as
menstrual dysfunction and estrogen deficiency, are
independent and thus additive causes of bone loss in
anorexia nervosa. Recovery of BMD seems slow, but the
BMD may become as predicted from the anthropometric
data after restoration of body weight and menses. The
potential for recovery of BMD seems intact for several
years after menarche.