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Eating disorders can mask autism in girls
Girls and women on the autism spectrum are at higher risk of anorexia nervosa than males, research suggests.
- Caitlin Fitzsimmons
- The Age
But girls are also more likely than boys to have undiagnosed autism and their symptoms could be mistaken for an eating disorder.
An article in Current Psychiatry Reports by researchers from Kings College London reports between 4 and 52.5 per cent of anorexia patients meet a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, depending on the study.
In the general population just 1 per cent have autism.
Some researchers believe autism and anorexia share an…