Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychosomatic disorder which most typically begins between 16 and 18 years of age. Clinicians have often held that early onset (eg, ages 11 to 15) is associated with a better outcome. This paper reviews the long-term outcome studies on anorexia nervosa and concludes that this contention is not supported by available data. The methodologies of seven outcome studies that focus on an early onset population are critiqued, and it is concluded that two methodologies are strong. Because of the increasing prevalence of anorexia nervosa, this once rare disorder can now be more easily investigated, and consequently better follow-up studies, which examine potential prognostic factors including age of onset, should be forthcoming.