Researchers from Harvard Medical School used computer tomography (CT) scans, instead of x-rays, for the new study. They compared the bone scans of ten anorexic girls ages 10 to 18 years old with those of ten age-matched girls who didn't have the disorder. The anorexic group showed changes not only in bone density, but also in structure.
"Adolescence is the most critical period for growth of bone mass, and the onset of anorexia interferes with that process," said Miriam A. Bredella, M.D., musculoskeletal radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School. "Impairment of bone development may permanently alter bone structure and increase the risk of fractures and osteoporosis in adult life."
Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by fears about gaining weight and consequently over-dieting to the point of starvation. Anorexics think of themselves as fat even when they are dangerously thin. The disorder affects about one percent of all young women and teenage girls.
Labels: anorexia, bone_density, bone_loss
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
