Few studies have examined the course of eating disorders and the respective treatments based on insurance data, even though they provide representative information.

To assess the epidemiology, treatments, duration of illness, costs of treatment in a data set of a public health insurance.

Data provided by a German health insurance (data from 4.2 million members from 2005-2010). A matched control group based on age and gender without an eating disorder diagnosis was used for comparisons.

2.734 cases with the diagnoses of an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa AN, bulimia nervosa BN or combination ANBN) were identified. More than 92% of the patients were female. The relative risk for personality disorders, depressive disorders, alcohol abuse and obsessive-compulsive disorders was highly increased. Most of the patients with BN (53.04%) or AN (41.57%) were treated in out-patient care, and many were only treated for three months, whereas most of the patients with ANBN were treated for a longer time. 3-19% with BN, AN or ANBN were treated only in in-patient care. The in-patient costs of treatment for the year of the diagnosis were 5471.15€ for BN, 9080.26€ for AN, 10809.16€ for ANBN and 339.37€ for the control group.

Our findings suggest that patients with ANBN diagnosis have a severe and longer course of treatment. Furthermore, contrary to national guidelines for eating disorders, there is a considerable proportion of patients with BN or AN that are treated only in in-patient care.

No significant relationships.