A meta-analysis of twenty-seven studies that used three levels of outcome (recovery, improvement, chronicity) showed that 45% of patients fully recovered, 27% showed improved conditions, and 23% showed a prolonged, chronic condition.

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Several metanalyses with different classifications of recovery showed slightly differing results, although all generally showed that many people with bulimia nervosa did not recover fully.

Recovery Rates of Bulimia Nervosa

Steinhausen, H.-C., & Weber, S. (2009). The Outcome of Bulimia Nervosa: Findings From One-Quarter Century of Research. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166(12), 1331–1341. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.09040582


Reference for Recovery of Bulimia Nervosa

Recovery Statistics for Studies with 3-Level Classification 

Another twenty-seven studies used two levels of outcome. Among these, nineteen used recovery and chronicity and found that on average, 60% recovered, 30% showed a chronic course, and 10% developed a different eating disorder. A different set of eight studies included recovery and improvement as their two levels and found that on average,  42% recovered and 41% showed improvement.

Recovery Statistics for Studies with 2-Level Classification 

Twenty-five studies only used one level of classification. Among these, fifteen studies used recovery and found that 42% recovered. Eight studies used chronicity and showed that 51% persisted on a chronic course. Eight studies also showed that 32% developed a different eating disorder.

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