In Brief: Options for treating adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a deadly eating disorder, killing 5.6% of patients for every decade they remain ill. After three years, the risk of the illness becoming chronic dramatically increases and treatment becomes less effective. For these reasons, early intervention is important.

To better determine what outpatient therapies are effective for children and teens with anorexia, researchers at Stanford and the University of Chicago conducted a randomized controlled study of two different approaches, family or individual therapy.