Alcoholism and Eating Disorders in Women of Fertile Age

Summary Twenty consecutive alcoholic women aged 40 or under were compared with 20 age‐matched bulimia nervosa patients and 17 age‐matched controls using a semi‐structured interview. Thirty‐five per cent of the alcoholics had a previous major eating disorder. Fifty per cent of the bulimics either abused (40%) alcohol or used it to excess (10%). Weight variables were not different between alcoholics and bulimics but were significantly different front controls in both groups. Also alcoholism presented many years after the onset of bulimia. One hundred and twelve consecutive bulimia nervosa patients were studied by the same interview. Reported alcohol abuse and excess usage increased with age to 50% by the age of 35 and may be even higher by 40. A history of an eating disorder should alert physicians to the diagnosis of future alcoholism.