The Ultimate List of Eating Disorder Statistics

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

Eating disorders affect people from all walks of life, no matter the age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. They also take an economic toll on individuals, their families, organisations, and society at large ¹Deloitte Access Economics. Paying the price: The economic and social impact of eating disorders in Australia. New South Wales: The Butterfly Foundation. 2012..

Understanding the latest eating disorder statistics is important for increasing awareness around these conditions.

Recognising how pervasive eating disorders are could help reduce the stigma around these illnesses, which could further encourage people to get help. This is particularly important considering that fewer than 25% of people with an eating disorder seek or receive care ²Hart 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..

Anorexia Nervosa Statistics

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by extremely low body weight due to persistent and chronic energy restriction, and body image distortions comprised through an intense fear of weight gain.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder on the rise, and seriousness of this illness is underscored by the fact that anorexia nervosa is associated with the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric disorders³Arcelus 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..

Anorexia nervosa causes significant distress and impairment in an individual’s social, occupational, psychological, and educational functioning. Key statistics on anorexia nervosa are:

1. Based on international data, the lifetime prevalence of anorexia nervosa for females ranges from 0.3%-1.5% and for males range from 0.1%-0.5%⁴Keski-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 causes⁵Arcelus 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 ratio⁶Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76..
4. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for anorexia nervosa, which is the percentage of observed deaths in the study population divided by the percentage of expected deaths in the entire population of origin, is 5.9 ⁷Arcelus 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..
5. 25% who recover from anorexia nervosa after treatment may relapse ⁸Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416..
6. 60% of anorexia nervosa-related deaths are attributed to sudden cardiac arrest, organ failure, or suicide ⁹Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416..
7. The average age of onset is 16-17 years, although more and more younger children are becoming affected ¹⁰Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76..
8. Of those who do survive, 60% may make a full recovery ¹¹Garner DM, Bemis KM. A cognitive-behavioral approach to anorexia nervosa. Cognitive Therapy and Research. 1982;6:123-150..
9. 25% may experience a diagnostic cross-over to bulimia nervosa¹²Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416..

Bulimia Nervosa Statistics

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating in combination with inappropriate compensatory behaviours (e.g., self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse).

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder associated with profound medical, psychological, and social complications. Key statistics on bulimia nervosa are:

1. The lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa for adult women ranges from 1.7%-2.0% and for men ranges from 0.5-0.7% ¹³Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76..
2. The standardized mortality ratio for bulimia nervosa has been estimated to be 1.9 ¹⁴Arcelus 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. 8% may cross-over to a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and 9% may cross-over to a diagnosis of binge-eating disorder ¹⁵Castellini 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..
4. 17% who recover from bulimia nervosa after treatment may relapse¹⁶Castellini 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..
5. The average age of onset is 18 years, although the age of onset is declining in more recent studies ¹⁷Keski-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..
6. In some samples, 50% made a full recovery without any treatment at all ¹⁸Fairburn 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..
7. 35% of people with bulimia nervosa engage in self-harm behaviours ¹⁹Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416..
8. Around 35% are expected to fully recover following psychotherapy ²⁰Linardon 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..

Binge-Eating Disorder Statistics

Binge-eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating during which individuals sense a lack of control and consume larger amounts of food than most people would under comparable conditions.

Binge-eating disorder is associated with impairment and distress, as well as various obesity-related illnesses, including Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Key statistics on binge-eating disorder are:

1. The lifetime prevalence of binge-eating disorder for females ranges from 2.5%-4.5% and for men ranges from 1%-3%²¹Erskine HE, Whiteford HA. Epidemiology of binge eating disorder. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2018..
2. In some samples, binge-eating disorder is more prevalent in Hispanic and black individuals than in white individuals ²²Erskine HE, Whiteford HA. Epidemiology of binge eating disorder. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2018..
3. Around 15% of people with binge-eating disorder attempt suicide ²³Deloitte Access Economics. Paying the price: The economic and social impact of eating disorders in Australia. New South Wales: The Butterfly Foundation. 2012..
4. ~8% of people with binge-eating disorder may cross-over to a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa ²⁴Castellini 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..
5. The prevalence of binge-eating disorder is around 5% in community samples of obese individuals and around 30% in treatment-seeking samples of obese individuals²⁵Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76.
6. Around 50% are expected to fully recover following psychotherapy ²⁶Linardon J. Rates of abstinence following psychological or behavioral treatments for binge-eating disorder: Meta-analysis. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2018:1-13..
7. Binge-eating disorder has the latest average age of onset of all eating disorders, estimated to be ~25 years of age ²⁷Deloitte Access Economics. Paying the price: The economic and social impact of eating disorders in Australia. New South Wales: The Butterfly Foundation. 2012..
8. ~11% who recover from binge-eating disorder after treatment may relapse²⁸Castellini 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..

Eating Disorder Behaviours Statistics

It is also important to recognise that many people engage in eating disorder behaviours (e.g., binge eating, dietary restriction, laxative misuse) without meeting the diagnostic criteria for any of the eating disorder subtypes listed above.

These people, who are said to exhibit a subthreshold or atypical eating disorder, are still profoundly affected, both physically, psychologically, and socially, and are likely to go onto develop a full eating disorder if left untreated.

Studies conducted in Australia have presented strong data on the epidemiology of eating disorder behaviours, and key findings from these studies are as follows:²⁹Mitchison D, Hay PJ, Slewa-Younan S, et al. The changing demographic profile of eating disorder behaviors in the community. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:943.

1. 4.1% of men and 5.7% of women reported engaging in binge eating, which has more than doubled since 1998
2. 2.4% of men and 4.3% of women reported engaging in extreme dieting, which has nearly tripped since 1998
3. 0.5% of men and 1.5% of women reported engaging in purging behaviour, which has increased fourfold in men and has remained stable in women since 1998.
4. The prevalence of binge eating (8.7%) and purging (1.2%) is highest among people aged between 15-24 years, although a significant percentage of older adults (> 45 years) reported engaging in binge eating (3.5%) and purging (0.9%)

This article will have ideally provided you with additional insight toward eating disorders and their impact.

Now I’d like to turn it over to you, what was the most surprising or interesting statistic from this guide?

Let me know by leaving a comment below.