The Ultimate List of Eating Disorder Statistics For 2020

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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.

It’s important to point out that eating disorders affect people from all walks of life, no matter their age, gender, or ethnicity. They also take a substantial economic toll on the individual, their families, and society at large.

Understanding these alarming eating disorder statistics & facts is the first thing we need to do.

First, to understand their impact and to help spread awareness of the debilitating nature of eating disorders, reduce any associated stigma, and ultimately better encourage people to seek help if needed.

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.

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 men³STRIPED 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]..
2. The overall lifetime prevalence of eating disorders was estimated to be 8.60% among females and 4.07% among males⁴Mitchison 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..
3. 7.8 million Americans alive in 2018-19 will develop an eating disorder in the future⁵STRIPED 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]..
4. The total financial costs associated with eating disorders were estimated to be $64.7 billion in 2018-19, which equates to $11,808 per person with an eating disorder⁶STRIPED 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]..
5. 4.1% of men and 5.7% of women reported engaging in binge eating, which has more than doubled since 1998⁷Mitchison 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..
6. 2.4% of men and 4.3% of women reported engaging in extreme dieting, which has nearly tripled since 1998⁸Mitchison 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..
7. 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 1998⁹Mitchison 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..
8. 13% of women over 50 engage in eating disorder behaviors¹⁰Mitchison 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..
9. 3.5% sexual minority women and 2.1% of sexual minority men reported having an eating disorder¹¹Calzo, J. P., Blashill, A. J., Brown, T. A., & Argenal, R. L. (2017). Eating disorders and disordered weight and shape control behaviors in sexual minority populations. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(8), 49..
10. 16% of transgender college students reported having an eating disorder¹²Coelho, J. S., Suen, J., Clark, B. A., Marshall, S. K., Geller, J., & Lam, P. Y. (2019). Eating disorder diagnoses and symptom presentation in transgender youth: A scoping review. Current Psychiatry Reports, 21(11), 107..
11. As much as 25% of athletes engage in eating disorder behaviors¹³Mitchison 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..

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 is one of the more commonly known eating disorders. It 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 also highlighted by the fact that anorexia nervosa is associated with the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric disorders¹⁴Arcelus 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 linked 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%¹⁵Keski-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 causes¹⁶Arcelus 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 ratio¹⁷Keski-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 relapse¹⁸Fairburn 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 suicide¹⁹Fairburn 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 affected²⁰Keski-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 recovery²¹Castellini 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 nervosa²²Castellini 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 females²³Stice 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 males²⁴National Eating Disorders Association. 2020. Statistics & Research On Eating Disorders..
11. Nearly 60% of people with anorexia nervosa have a comorbid psychiatric disorder²⁵Nimh.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. Key statistics and facts for bulimia nervosa include:

1. 8% may cross-over to a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and 9% may cross-over to a diagnosis of binge-eating disorder²⁶Castellini 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 relapse²⁷Castellini 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 studies²⁸Keski-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 all²⁹Fairburn 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 behaviours³⁰Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ. Eating disorders. The Lancet. 2003;361:407-416.
6. Around 35% of individuals are expected to fully recover following psychotherapy³¹Linardon 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 females³²National Eating Disorders Association. 2020. Statistics & Research On Eating Disorders..
8. Around 95% of people with bulimia nervosa have another psychiatric disorder³³Nimh.nih.gov. 2020. NIMH » Eating Disorders. [online] [Accessed 15 August 2020]..
9. Nearly 40% of people with bulimia nervosa abuse substances³⁴Nimh.nih.gov. 2020. NIMH » Eating Disorders. [online] [Accessed 15 August 2020]..
10. More than half of bulimia patients have comorbid anxiety disorders³⁵National 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 consequently 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 critical facts and statistics for binge-eating disorder;

1. The lifetime prevalence of binge-eating disorder for females ranges from 2.5%-4.5% and for men ranges from 1%-3%³⁶Erskine 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 individuals³⁷Erskine HE, Whiteford HA. Epidemiology of binge eating disorder. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2018.
3. Around 15% of people with binge-eating disorder attempt suicide³⁸Pc.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].
4. ~8% of people with binge-eating disorder may cross-over to a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa³⁹Castellini 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 approximately 30% in treatment-seeking samples of obese individuals⁴⁰Keski-Rahkonen A, Raevuori A, Hoek HW. Epidemiology of eating disorders: an update. Annual Review of Eating Disorders: CRC Press 2018:66-76.
6. Approximately 50% of binge-eating sufferers are expected to fully recover following psychotherapy⁴¹Linardon 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 age⁴²Pc.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].
8. ~11% who recover from binge-eating disorder after treatment may relapse⁴³Castellini 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. Around 50% of the risk for binge-eating disorder is genetic⁴⁴Trace, S. E., Baker, J. H., Peñas-Lledó, E., & Bulik, C. M. (2013). The genetics of eating disorders. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 9, 589-620..
10. Binge eating or loss-of-control eating may be as high as 25% in post-bariatric patients⁴⁵Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, Lohr KN, Cullen KE, Morgan LC, Bann CM, Wallace IF, Bulik CM. Management and Outcomes of Binge-Eating Disorder. Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 160.
11. The prevalence of binge-eating disorder is nearly two-fold greater in obese individuals compared to non-obese individuals⁴⁶Klatzkin, R. R., Gaffney, S., Cyrus, K., Bigus, E., & Brownley, K. A. (2015). Binge eating disorder and obesity: Preliminary evidence for distinct cardiovascular and psychological phenotypes. Physiology & behavior, 142, 20-27

Struggling with binge eating? Follow my 5 Proven Steps To Stopping Binge Eating here.

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 disorder⁴⁷STRIPED 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 nervosa⁴⁸Arcelus, 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 America⁴⁹Deloitte 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 Australia⁵⁰Pc.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 women⁵¹Bagaric, 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 affected⁵²STRIPED 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 peers⁵³Arcelus, 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 these⁵⁴STRIPED 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]..

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.