This is what kills me about mental health research (especially with eating disorders). I ready a study today about the “Effectiveness of day hospital treatment for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.” 83 eating-disordered patients were assessed before and after (a year after) a day hospitalization program. The study boasts “significant improvement on all outcome variables (frequency of binge eating/vomiting/laxative abuse, BMI and core EDI-subscales ‘drive for thinness’ / ‘bulimia’ / ‘body dissatisfaction’), with large effect sizes and improvements that continued even upon long-term follow-up. In conclusion:

The results demonstrate both the short-term effectiveness and long-term stability of day hospital treatment in a large sample of patients with anorexia and BN.

What’s the kicker? Less than half the patients were “remitted” (only 40%)! How is that a success? Yes, granted far fewer than that would have recovered on their own…. but I would just not be satisfied with that outcome. To me, that says the treatment (an expensive, timely treatment) is less than mediocre.

It’s no wonder that people think that as soon as someone with an ED enters a treatment facility, they will be cured.