Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital reveal that the basic health impact of anorexia could extend further than previously thought.
They explain that previous studies have typically focused on decreasing bone mineral density in order to support the proposal that anorexic adolescents suffer impaired bone formation.
However, their recent study looked beyond this - investigating whether the structure of bones changes before any decreased density becomes apparent.
Comparing anorexic test subjects with a control group, they found that structural changes did become evident when, in terms of density, the two populations were still comparable.
Among the basic health risks they suggest could arise from such alteration are conditions such as osteoporosis and a greater likelihood of suffering fractures later in life.
The researchers note that young women are most at risk of becoming anorexic, with around one per cent of adolescent girls perceiving themselves as overweight through the disorder.
Meanwhile, the University of Montreal has been conducting research at the other end of the weight scale, investigating the link between sleeplessness and weight gain.
Scientists from the educational institution claim that more than a quarter (26 per cent) of children who do not sleep for ten hours or more on a nightly basis ultimately become overweight.
