Insufficient Assessment and Treatment of Vitamin D in the Medical Management of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa

Suboptimal vitamin D levels are implicated in low bone mineral density, a common medical complication of anorexia nervosa. This study aimed to examine the frequency of vitamin D assessment and treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa in outpatient medical management. Retrospective chart review was used to examine 179 adolescents (M age = 15.5 years, SD = 2.2), newly diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at a tertiary care medical center in the United States between January 2000 and July 2016. Only 16% of patients (n = 29) received serum vitamin D assessments following diagnosis, of whom 52% had suboptimal vitamin D levels (n = 15). Only three patients with suboptimal vitamin D were advised to begin supplementation. No patients in our sample were encouraged to begin prophylactic vitamin D supplementation. Findings from this study highlight the critical need for widespread care team education about vitamin D assessment and treatment in the medical management of adolescents with anorexia nervosa, particularly in light of the potentially serious consequences of bone mineral density. •Vitamin D assessment/treatment is recommended for patients at high risk for vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency, amenorrhea and those at risk for bone loss.•Medical care team compliance with recommendations for vitamin D assessment and treatment is low. .•Education on vitamin D assessment/treatment in managing anorexia nervosa is needed.