Six hundred and twenty women who were currently practising self-induced vomiting to control their weight were identified with the help of a women's magazine. Nineteen women (31%) fulfilled diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. Of the remainder, 499 (83 0%) fulfilled diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa, a recently described eating disorder. Of these, 56-1% practised self-induced vomiting at least once daily; the mean duration of vomiting was 4-5 years. Most women were of normal body

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... t. On standardised measures, 68 1% of women showed pronounced psychiatric morbidity and 89% had profoundly disturbed attitudes to food and eating. 564% thought they definitely needed medical help, though only 30-1% had ever discussed any aspect of their eating difficulties with a doctor. This study highlights the secrecy that surrounds bulimia nervosa and suggests that it is an important undetected source of psychiatric morbidity.