Assessment of the impact of eating disorders on quality of life using the disease-specific, Health-Related Quality of Life for Eating Disorders (HeRQoLED) questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and compare the quality of life (QOL) in patients with eating disorders (ED) and general population, using the disease-specific Health-Related Quality of Life for Eating Disorders (HeRQoLED) questionnaire.

METHODS

A total of 358 patients with ED completed the HeRQoLED questionnaire as well as the SF-12 and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) at baseline; 273 patients completed the same instruments after 1 year of multidisciplinary treatment. A total of 305 individuals recruited from the general population completed the HeRQoLED once. Comparison of means was used to assess change. Multivariate models were created to determine variables predictive of change in HeRQoLED scores.

RESULTS

Patients with anorexia nervosa had higher baseline scores (indicating worse perception of QOL) on the HeRQoLED questionnaire and experienced smaller improvements than patients with other diagnoses after 1 year of treatment. After adjustment by relevant variables, body-mass index (BMI) and EAT-26 scores were associated with changes in QOL. SF-12 scores showed significant improvement in the physical health component but not in mental health. General population had lower baseline scores on the HeRQoLED.

CONCLUSIONS

As measured by the disease-specific HeRQoLED and generic instruments, QOL in patients with ED improved after 1 year of treatment, though it did not reach the values of the general population.