2023 Eating Disorder Statistics: 79+ Unthinkable Facts

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Every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder¹STRIPED Harvard. 2020. Report: Economic Costs Of Eating Disorders. [online] Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/ [Accessed 15 August 2020]..

STRIPED Harvard, 2020

Eating disorders are debilitating conditions that negatively impact a person’s life across many domains.

They represent the third most common chronic illnesses, and they take a substantial economic toll on the individual, their families and society at large.

No one is fully immune from an eating disorder; they can affect people from all walks of life, no matter your age, gender, or ethnicity.

Eating disorders have become even more pronounced and prevalent during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, partly because of the social distancing policies, mandated stay at home orders, and the disruption to health care services.

In fact, in 2020 there was a 66% increase in eating disorder hospital admissions!

Awareness of eating disorders and their devastating impact is fundamental if we are to reduce and encourage help-seeking, reduce any stigma, and show care and compassion towards those affected.

All of this is so urgently needed given that 75% of people with an eating disorder don’t seek professional help²Hart LM, Granillo MT, Jorm AF, et al. Unmet need for treatment in the eating disorders: a systematic review of eating disorder specific treatment seeking among community cases. Clinical Psychology Review. 2011;31:727-735..

Let’s get started on some essential statistics for 2023.

Essential Eating Disorder Statistics

Before I jump into specific statistics relevant to the three primary eating disorders, I first want to cover some essential statistics related to eating disorders and eating disorder behaviors in general.

1. In 2018-2019, the US estimated 4.39 million cases of women with eating disorders and 1.09 million cases of men
2. 21% of adolescent boys/girls with diabetes exhibited clinically significant risk for an eating disorder ³ Daniel, L., Haile, D., & Egata, G. (2023). Disordered Eating Behaviours and Body Shape Dissatisfaction among Diabetic Adolescents: a Cross sectional study. .
3. 8% of adolescent boys/girls with diabetes skipped their insulin for weight-control purposes ⁴ Daniel, L., Haile, D., & Egata, G. (2023). Disordered Eating Behaviours and Body Shape Dissatisfaction among Diabetic Adolescents: a Cross sectional study. .
4. Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, sexual minority young adults hospitalized for an eating disorder were more likely to report a psychiatric comorbidity (69% vs. 48%).
5. Among military personnel working in the first line of defense against COVID-19, 10% screened positive for an eating disorder ⁵ Valladares-Garrido, M. J., León-Figueroa, D. A., Picón-Reátegui, C. K., García-Vicente, A., Valladares-Garrido, D., Failoc-Rojas, V. E., & Pereira-Victorio, C. J. (2023). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Eating Disorders in Military First Line of Defense against COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study during the Second Epidemic Wave in Peru. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 2848 .
6. The proportion of people with eating disorders who were hospitalized doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic ⁶ Akgül, S., Torun, Ş., Çınar, H. Ü., Pehlivantürk Kızılkan, M., & Derman, O. (2023). Eating disorder visits increase among adolescents during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Early Intervention in Psychiatry .

These are some pretty eye-opening statistics straight off the bat.

Now, let’s review other crucial statistics for the major types of eating disorders.

Anorexia Nervosa Statistics

Anorexia nervosa involves extreme dietary restriction leading to a potentially life-threatening body weight, accompanied by a distorted self-image.

Anorexia nervosa, unfortunately, is an eating disorder on the rise.

Its seriousness is highlighted by the fact that anorexia nervosa is associated with the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric disorders⁷Arcelus J, Mitchell AJ, Wales J, et al. Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders: a meta-analysis of 36 studies. Archives of general psychiatry. 2011;68(7):724-731..

Not only is anorexia nervosa associated with high mortality rates, but the behaviors, cognitions, and perceptions that underpin anorexia nervosa are associated with severe impairment in physical, social, and psychological functioning.

Let’s delve into some key facts and statistics on anorexia nervosa;

1. Based on international data, the lifetime prevalence of anorexia nervosa for females ranges from 0.3%-1.5% and for males ranges from 0.1%-0.5%⁸Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76..
2. Anorexia nervosa has a mortality rate that is around 12 times higher than the mortality rates from all other causes⁹Arcelus J, Mitchell AJ, Wales J, et al. Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders: a meta-analysis of 36 studies. Archives of general psychiatry. 2011;68(7):724-731..
3. Females with anorexia nervosa outnumber males with anorexia nervosa on a 10:1 ratio¹⁰Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76..
4. 25% who recover from anorexia nervosa after treatment may relapse¹¹Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416..
5. 60% of anorexia nervosa-related deaths are attributed to sudden cardiac arrest, organ failure, or suicide¹²Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416..
6. The average age of onset is 16-17 years, although more and more younger children are becoming affected¹³Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76..
7. Of those who do survive, 60% may make a full recovery¹⁴Castellini G, Lo Sauro C, Mannucci E, et al. Diagnostic crossover and outcome predictors in eating disorders according to DSM-IV and DSM-V proposed criteria: A 6-year follow-up study. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2011;73:270-279..
8. 25% may experience a diagnostic cross-over to bulimia nervosa¹⁵Castellini G, Lo Sauro C, Mannucci E, et al. Diagnostic crossover and outcome predictors in eating disorders according to DSM-IV and DSM-V proposed criteria: A 6-year follow-up study. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2011;73:270-279..
9. Subthreshold anorexia occurs in 1.1% to 3.0% of adolescent females¹⁶Stice E & Bohon C. (2012). Eating Disorders. In Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 2nd Edition, Theodore Beauchaine & Stephen Linshaw, eds. New York: Wiley..
10. The incidence has increased over the last 50 years only in females aged 15 to 24. Incidence remained stable in other age groups and males¹⁷National Eating Disorders Association. 2020. Statistics & Research On Eating Disorders..
11. Nearly 60% of people with anorexia nervosa have a comorbid psychiatric disorder¹⁸Nimh.nih.gov. 2020. NIMH » Eating Disorders. [online] [Accessed 15 August 2020]..

Bulimia Nervosa Statistics

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating during in combination with inappropriate compensatory behaviours, such as self-induced vomiting or laxative use.

It’s a potentially lethal disorder because of the dangerous compensatory behaviours practiced.

Bulimia nervosa can also cause depression, feelings of low self-worth, and impairment in functioning.

1. 8% may cross-over to a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and 9% may cross-over to a diagnosis of binge-eating disorder¹⁹Castellini G, Lo Sauro C, Mannucci E, et al. Diagnostic crossover and outcome predictors in eating disorders according to DSM-IV and DSM-V proposed criteria: A 6-year follow-up study. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2011;73:270-279.
2. 17% who recover from bulimia nervosa after treatment may relapse²⁰Castellini G, Lo Sauro C, Mannucci E, et al. Diagnostic crossover and outcome predictors in eating disorders according to DSM-IV and DSM-V proposed criteria: A 6-year follow-up study. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2011;73:270-279..
3. The average age of onset for bulimia nervosa is 18 years. It’s worth noting the age of onset is declining in more recent studies²¹Keski-Rahkonen A, Hoek H, Linna M, et al. Incidence and outcomes of bulimia nervosa: a nationwide population-based study. Psychological Medicine. 2009;39:823-831.
4. In some samples, 50% made a full recovery without any treatment at all²²Fairburn CG, Cooper Z, Doll HA, et al. The natural course of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder in young women. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2000;57:659-665.
5. 35% of people with bulimia nervosa engage in self-harm behaviours²³Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416.
6. Around 35% of individuals are expected to fully recover following psychotherapy²⁴Linardon J, Wade T. How many individuals achieve symptom abstinence following psychological treatments for bulimia nervosa? A meta-analytic review. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2018;51:287-294..
7. Subthreshold bulimia occurs in 2.0% to 5.4% of adolescent females²⁵National Eating Disorders Association. 2020. Statistics & Research On Eating Disorders..
8. Around 95% of people with bulimia nervosa have another psychiatric disorder²⁶Nimh.nih.gov. 2020. NIMH » Eating Disorders. [online] [Accessed 15 August 2020]..
9. Nearly 40% of people with bulimia nervosa abuse substances²⁷Nimh.nih.gov. 2020. NIMH » Eating Disorders. [online] [Accessed 15 August 2020]..
10. More than half of bulimia patients have comorbid anxiety disorders²⁸National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. 2020. Eating Disorder Statistics • National Association Of Anorexia Nervosa And Associated Disorders..

Binge Eating Disorder Statistics

Binge-eating disorder is one of the most common eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating without the use of any inappropriate compensatory behaviors.

Binge-eating disorder is highly comorbid with obesity and is associated with several health risks, including Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. The disorder is also associated with marked distress and impairment in functioning.

Below are some essentials. View our full list of critical facts and statistics for binge-eating disorder here.

1. Binge-eating disorder and OSFED account for the majority of eating disorder cases and disability adjusted life years (3.7 million DALYs in total) ²⁹ Santomauro, D. F., Melen, S., Mitchison, D., Vos, T., Whiteford, H., & Ferrari, A. J. (2021). The hidden burden of eating disorders: an extension of estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Lancet Psychiatry, 8(4), 320-328
2. The lifetime prevalence of binge-eating disorder for females ranges from 2.5%-4.5% and for men ranges from 1%-3%³⁰Erskine HE, Whiteford HA. Epidemiology of binge eating disorder. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2018.
3. In some samples, binge-eating disorder is more prevalent in Hispanic and black individuals than in white individuals³¹Erskine HE, Whiteford HA. Epidemiology of binge eating disorder. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2018.
4. Around 15% of people with binge-eating disorder attempt suicide

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Essential Eating Disorder Facts

What is the mortality rate of eating disorders overall?

Eating disorders are associated with the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. Every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder³²STRIPED Harvard. 2020. Report: Economic Costs Of Eating Disorders. [online] Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/ [Accessed 15 August 2020]..

What are the mortality rates for specific eating disorders?

The total number of deaths that occur as a result of eating disorders is not yet known, because it is difficult to obtain these data from representative samples. However, we do know that the weighted mortality rate per every 1,000 individuals was 5.1 for anorexia nervosa, 3 for other-specified feeding or eating disorders (or EDNOS), and 1.7 for bulimia nervosa³³Arcelus, J., Mitchell, A. J., Wales, J., & Nielsen, S. (2011). Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders: a meta-analysis of 36 studies. Archives of general psychiatry, 68(7), 724-731..

How many people currently have an eating disorder?

Worldwide, up 70 million people have an eating disorder. This includes 5.5 million people from America³⁴Deloitte Access Economics: Social and economic cost of eating disorders in the United States of America. Report published June 2020, nearly 3 million people from the UK and more than 900,000 people from Australia³⁵Pc.gov.au. 2020. Paying The Price: The Economic And Social Impact Of Eating Disorders In Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/215540/sub0078-ndis-costs-attachmenta.pdf [Accessed 15 August 2020] have an eating disorder.

What is the lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa?

The lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa is estimated to be around 1.21% for men and 2.59% for women³⁶Bagaric, M., Touyz, S., Heriseanu, A., Conti, J., & Hay, P. (2020). Are bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder increasing? Results of a population‐based study of lifetime prevalence and lifetime prevalence by age in South Australia. European Eating Disorders Review, 28(3), 260-268.

What is the most common eating disorder in the USA?

OSFED is the most common eating disorder in the USA, with 1.18% of American women affected³⁷STRIPED Harvard. 2020. Report: Economic Costs Of Eating Disorders. [online] Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/ [Accessed 15 August 2020]..

How many people die from anorexia nervosa?

It’s not currently known how many people in total have died from anorexia nervosa. However, what we do know is that young people between the ages of 15 and 24 with anorexia have ten times the risk of dying compared to their same-aged peers³⁸Arcelus, J., Mitchell, A. J., Wales, J., & Nielsen, S. (2011). Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders: a meta-analysis of 36 studies. Archives of general psychiatry, 68(7), 724-731.. It is also worth noting that around 10,200 deaths in 2018-2019 in the USA were attributed to eating disorders, with anorexia nervosa making up a large proportion of these³⁹STRIPED Harvard. 2020. Report: Economic Costs Of Eating Disorders. [online] Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/ [Accessed 15 August 2020]..

Eating disorders during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on most people around the world. One of the unfortunate consequences of the pandemic is the rise in eating disorders and eating disorder behaviours.

To shed some light on the impact of COVID-19 on eating disorders, let’s dive into the latest statistics reported in the most recent research studies conducted during this period⁴⁰ Phillipou, A., Meyer, D., Neill, E., Tan, E. J., Toh, W. L., Van Rheenen, T. E., & Rossell, S. L. (2020). Eating and exercise behaviors in eating disorders and the general population during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia: Initial results from the COLLATE project. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53(7), 1158-1165. ⁴¹ Schlegl, S., Maier, J., Meule, A., & Voderholzer, U. (2020). Eating disorders in times of the COVID‐19 pandemic—Results from an online survey of patients with anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53(11), 1791-1800. ⁴² Branley-Bell, D., & Talbot, C. V. (2020). Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and UK lockdown on individuals with experience of eating disorders. Journal of eating disorders, 8(1), 1-12.

1. 65% of people with an eating disorder reported more food restriction during
2. 35% of people with an eating disorder reported more frequent binge episodes
3. 19% of people with an eating disorder reported more frequent purging episodes
4. Among individuals with anorexia nervosa, 50% reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety during the pandemic
5. 27% of Australian’s from the general population reported more severe food restriction during the pandemic
6. 34% of Australian’s from the general population reported more binge eating episodes during the pandemic
7. In German women with anorexia nervosa, 40% agreed that their symptoms worsened, 20% agreed that they developed new symptoms, and 50% agreed that their quality of life has been more impacted.
8. In the same sample of German women with anorexia nervosa, around 70% stated that their fear of weight gain, concerns with shape, weight, and eating, and drive for thinness worsened during the pandemic.
9. In a sample of UK women with eating disorders, 80% stated that their symptoms had gotten worse during the lockdown.

Hopefully, these statistics have provided you with additional insight toward eating disorders and their impact.

Now I’d like to turn it over to you, what statistic surprised you the most?

Let me know by leaving a comment below.

[Bonus] Infographic

Interested in more facts and statistics? Check out our ultimate list of 20+ body image statistics.