Sociocultural influences on interventions for anorexia nervosa

In The Lancet Psychiatry, M Solmi and colleagues reported a network meta-analysis, which found that psychological interventions are associated with modest, but clinically significant improvements for adults with anorexia nervosa.1 However, none of the well known specialty interventions were better than treatment as usual. Solmi and colleagues suggest investigating patient level and therapist level factors that might influence outcomes. In an associated Comment, Evelyn Attia recommends mechanism-based research to investigate molecular, cellular, brain circuit, and behavioural factors that might precipitate and maintain anorexia nervosa.