On Thursday 31 October at 10:00, Mette Søeby defends her PhD dissertation entitled "Health consequences of Anorexia Nervosa: Epidemiological studies of fracture risk, mortality, and comorbidities".

Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that often leads to both physical and psychological complications and increased mortality risk. The disorder is often diagnosed during adolescence and primarily affects young women, but it can also occur in men. Anorexia nervosa is marked by extreme underweight, which can lead to serious health complications. The low body weight affects all organ systems, increasing the risk of bone fractures and premature death.The current PhD project, conducted through three large register-based studies on all Danish patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa over a 40-year period, has examined the relationship between anorexia nervosa and the somatic and psychiatric diagnoses made prior to diagnosis, the long-term risk of bone fractures, as well as the risk of death and the impact of psychiatric comorbidities on mortality. The studies reveal that patients with anorexia nervosa face a significantly higher risk of bone fractures for up to 40 years after diagnosis, particularly of the hip and spine. Furthermore, the disorder is associated with a 4.5 times higher risk of death compared to the general population, with suicide being one of the most common causes of death. Mortality is even higher in patients with other current or past psychiatric disorders.

The summary is written by the PhD student. 

The defence is public and takes place in Auditorium Verdensrummet (A201-170), Entrance A, Steno Diabetes Center Aar hus, Aarhus University Hospital. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Mette Søeby
Mail: mette.søeby@clin.au.dk 
Phone: (+45) 23276330

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