Are anorexic and bulimic patients depressed?

The presence of depression was assessed in 82 female outpatients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia by means of a structured interview. The Research Diagnostic Criteria for major depressive disorder were met by 55.6% of the anorexic patients and 23.6% of the bulimic patients. On the Extracted Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, 40.7% of the patients with anorexia and 23.6% of those with bulimia had scores in the moderately or severely depressed range.