Anorexia nervosa and marriage

Twenty-one percent of 246 consecutive female anorexics seen at a specialist clinic were married. Married and single adult anorexics (controlled for duration of illness) were compared on illness and personal and family background variables. Features of illness were similar in both groups, with only an equivocal excess of bulimic habits in married women. They differed, however, in age of onset of anorexia nervosa and in family background. Married women became anorexic significantly later than single women. The families of origin of married women showed a trend toward less conflict and less conflict avoidance. They were significantly less enmeshed than those of single women and there was a tendency for more married womens' parents to break up and remarry. We discuss how the family dynamics, which seem to differentiate the two groups, may determine whether or not the woman marries and the timing of the onset of her illness in relation to marriage.