Quality of Life Across the Anorexia Nervosa Spectrum: A Comparative Study of Current, Weight‐Restored, and Healthy Individuals

Background Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental illness that can greatly impact quality of life (QoL). While research suggests that health‐related QoL is poor in current AN, limited studies have examined QoL in those recovering from AN. This study aimed to investigate health‐related QoL in people with current AN, those weight‐restored from AN, and healthy controls (HCs). Methods Participants were 15 women with current AN, 12 weight‐restored women, and 15 HC women. Health‐related QoL was assessed using the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL‐8D). Group differences were analyzed using analyses of variance with a priori contrasts. Results The current AN group scored significantly lower than the weight‐restored AN and HC groups on the AQoL‐8D subscales of independent living, mental health, happiness, relationships, and self‐worth. The weight‐restored AN group scored equivalently to HCs in QoL. No group differences were found for the pain subscale. Discussion Findings highlight the substantial impact of AN on QoL and the potential for QoL to improve with recovery, which could motivate treatment engagement.