Epidemiology of Eating Disorders: Incidence, Prevalence and Mortality Rates

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Abstract

Eating disorders are relatively rare among the general population. This review discusses the literature on the incidence, prevalence and mortality rates of eating disorders. We searched online Medline/Pubmed, Embase and PsycINFO databases for articles published in English using several keyterms relating to eating disorders and epidemiology. Anorexia nervosa is relatively common among young women. While the overall incidence rate remained stable over the past decades, there has been an increase in the high risk-group of 15–19 year old girls. It is unclear whether this reflects earlier detection of anorexia nervosa cases or an earlier age at onset. The occurrence of bulimia nervosa might have decreased since the early nineties of the last century. All eating disorders have an elevated mortality risk; anorexia nervosa the most striking. Compared with the other eating disorders, binge eating disorder is more common among males and older individuals.

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Most cited references 70

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In the United States, obesity among adults and overweight among children and adolescents have increased markedly since 1980. Among adults, obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or greater. Among children and adolescents, overweight is defined as a body mass index for age at or above the 95th percentile of a specified reference population. In 2003-2004, 32.9% of adults 20-74 years old were obese and more than 17% of teenagers (age, 12-19 y) were overweight. Obesity varies by age and sex, and by race-ethnic group among adult women. A higher body weight is associated with an increased incidence of a number of conditions, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and with an increased risk of disability. Obesity is associated with a modestly increased risk of all-cause mortality. However, the net effect of overweight and obesity on morbidity and mortality is difficult to quantify. It is likely that a gene-environment interaction, in which genetically susceptible individuals respond to an environment with increased availability of palatable energy-dense foods and reduced opportunities for energy expenditure, contributes to the current high prevalence of obesity. Evidence suggests that even without reaching an ideal weight, a moderate amount of weight loss can be beneficial in terms of reducing levels of some risk factors, such as blood pressure. Many studies of dietary and behavioral treatments, however, have shown that maintenance of weight loss is difficult. The social and economic costs of obesity and of attempts to prevent or to treat obesity are high.

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Review of the prevalence and incidence of eating disorders.

Hans Wijbrand Hoek, Daphne van Hoeken (2003)

To review the literature on the incidence and prevalence of eating disorders. We searched Medline using several key terms relating to epidemiology and eating disorders and we checked the reference lists of the articles that we found. Special attention has been paid to methodologic problems affecting the selection of populations under study and the identification of cases. An average prevalence rate for anorexia nervosa of 0.3% was found for young females. The prevalence rates for bulimia nervosa were 1% and 0.1% for young women and young men, respectively. The estimated prevalence of binge eating disorder is at least 1%. The incidence of anorexia nervosa is 8 cases per 100,000 population per year and the incidence of bulimia nervosa is 12 cases per 100,000 population per year. The incidence of anorexia nervosa increased over the past century, until the 1970s. Only a minority of people who meet stringent diagnostic criteria for eating disorders are seen in mental health care. Copyright 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 34: 383-396, 2003.

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Author and article information

Contributors

: w.hoek@parnassia.nl

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Curr Psychiatry Rep

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Curr Psychiatry Rep

Title: Current Psychiatry Reports

Publisher: Current Science Inc. (New York )

ISSN (Print): 1523-3812

ISSN (Electronic): 1535-1645

Publication date (Electronic): 27 May 2012

Publication date PMC-release: 27 May 2012

Publication date (Print): August 2012

Volume: 14

Issue: 4

Pages: 406-414

Affiliations

[1 ]Parnassia Bavo Psychiatric Institute, Kiwistraat 43, NL-2552 DH The Hague, The Netherlands

[2 ]Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

[3 ]Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, United States

[4 ]Altrecht Eating Disorders Rintveld, Altrecht Mental Health Institute, Zeist, The Netherlands

Article

Publisher ID: 282

DOI: 10.1007/s11920-012-0282-y

PMC ID: 3409365

PubMed ID: 22644309

SO-VID: b5c12919-fc5c-4bf8-a94d-bced52483b6c

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Clinical Psychology & Psychiatry

Keywords: incidence,eating disorder not otherwise specified,epidemiology,binge eating disorder,anorexia nervosa,prevalence,eating disorders,mortality,bulimia nervosa

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Clinical Psychology & Psychiatry

Keywords: incidence, eating disorder not otherwise specified, epidemiology, binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, prevalence, eating disorders, mortality, bulimia nervosa

Epidemiology of Eating Disorders: Incidence, Prevalence and Mortality Rates

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Abstract

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Measurement of Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling in Major Depression

Most cited references 70

The epidemiology of obesity.

Excess mortality of mental disorder

Review of the prevalence and incidence of eating disorders.

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