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Is anorexia nervosa associated with elevated rates of suicide?

S Coren and P L Hewitt

Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether individuals with anorexia nervosa are more likely to commit suicide, as suggested by previously noted associations between anorexia nervosa and mood disorders. METHODS: Data from death records representing over 5 million women were examined, yielding 571 cases in which anorexia nervosa was mentioned as an existing condition. The women with anorexia were compared with 1713 control subjects matched for age, sex, and race. RESULTS: The percentage of suicides among those listed as having anorexia nervosa was only 1.4%, compared with 4.1% for the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the suicide rate is not elevated among individuals currently suffering from anorexia nervosa.