Thirty new members of a branch of Anorexic Aid were interviewed to determine their characteristics and compared with women seeking psychiatric treatment for anorexia nervosa and normal‐weight bulimia. It was expected that the two samples would be similar and that the women in the self‐help group would have also had professional treatment. Over half (53 per cent, 16) of the Anorexic Aid sample were anorectic, 40 per cent (12) were normal‐weight bulimics and 7 per cent (2) could not be classified and were excluded. Demographic characteristics were similar, with both samples being mainly British, single and from social classes I‐III, but the Anorexic Aid sample was significantly older. Clinical features were also similar, although there was a trend towards the Anorexic Aid anorectics being less severely ill at presentation. Nearly 90 per cent (25) of the Anorexic Aid sample had had professional treatment. The hypotheses are partially confirmed. Reasons for the differences in age and severity are di