Relationship of depression, anxiety, and obsessionality to state of illness in anorexia nervosa

Anorexic women at three states of illness, namely, underweight, short-term weight restored, and long-term weight restored, were examined for anxiety, depression and obsessionality. Results showed that the three symptoms were most elevated in the underweight state even as they significantly improved with weight restoration. However, milder but significantly elevated symptoms persisted in long-term weight-restored anorexic women. These findings suggest that malnutrition heightens the severity of depression, anxiety, and obsessionality in anorexia nervosa.