Discussion 4.1

Eating Disorder Statistics

General statistics:

 At least 30 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S. 1, 2

 Every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder.3

 Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.4

 13% of women over 50 engage in eating disorder behaviors.5

 In a large national study of college students, 3.5% sexual minority women and 2.1% of sexual

minority men reported having an eating disorder.6

 16% of transgender college students reported having an eating disorder.6

 In a study following active duty military personnel over time, 5.5% of women and 4% of men had

an eating disorder at the beginning of the study, and within just a few years of continued

service, 3.3% more women and 2.6% more men developed an eating disorder.7

 Eating disorders affect all races and ethnic groups.8

 Genetics, environmental factors, and personality traits all combine to create risk for an eating

disorder.9

Anorexia Nervosa:

 0.9% of American women suffer from anorexia in their lifetime.1

 1 in 5 anorexia deaths is by suicide.10

 Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) is a ratio between the observed number of deaths in an

study population and the number of deaths would be expected. SMR for Anorexia Nervosa is

5.86.10

 50-80% of the risk for anorexia and bulimia is genetic.11

 33-50% of anorexia patients have a comorbid mood disorder, such as depression. Mood

disorders are more common in the binge/purge subtype than in the restrictive subtype.12

 About half of anorexia patients have comorbid anxiety disorders, including obsessive-

compulsive disorder and social phobia.12

Bulimia Nervosa:

 1.5% of American women suffer from bulimia nervosa in their lifetime.1

 SMR for Bulimia Nervosa is 1.93.10

 Nearly half of bulimia patients have a comorbid mood disorder.12

 More than half of bulimia patients have comorbid anxiety disorders.12

 Nearly 1 in 10 bulimia patients have a comorbid substance abuse disorder, usually alcohol use. 12

Binge Eating Disorder (BED):

 2.8% of American adults suffer from binge eating disorder in their lifetime.1

 Approximately half of the risk for BED is genetic.12

 Nearly half of BED patients have a comorbid mood disorder.12

 More than half of BED patients have comorbid anxiety disorders.12

 Nearly 1 in 10 BED patients have a comorbid substance abuse disorder, usually alcohol use. 12

 Binge eating or loss-of-control eating may be as high as 25% in post-bariatric patients. 13

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)[Previously called Eating Disorder Not Otherwise

Specified or EDNOS]:

 OSFED, as revised in the DSM-5, includes atypical anorexia nervosa (anorexia without the low

weight), bulimia or BED with lower frequency of behaviors, purging disorder, and night eating

syndrome.

 SMR for EDNOS is 1.92.10

 Nearly half of EDNOS patients have a comorbid mood disorder. 12

 Nearly 1 in 10 EDNOS patients have a comorbid substance abuse disorder, usually alcohol use.12

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) 14:

 ARFID is more than just “picky eating”. Children do not grow out of it and often become

malnourished because of the limited variety of foods they will eat.

 The prevalence of ARFID is still being studied but may be 3-5% of children.

 Boys might have a higher risk for this disorder than girls.

“Diabulimia:”

 Diabulimia is deliberate insulin underuse in people with type 1 diabetes for the purpose of

controlling weight.

 About 38% of females and 16% of males with type 1 diabetes have disordered eating

behaviors.15

 Insulin omission increases risks for retinopathy, neuropathy, and diabetic ketoacidosis.

 In a longitudinal study, diabulimia increased mortality risk threefold.16

Sources:

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eating disorders in the national comorbidity survey replication. Biological Psychiatry, 61(3), 348–

358.

2. Le Grange, D., Swanson, S. A., Crow, S. J., & Merikangas, K. R. (2012). Eating disorder not

otherwise specified presentation in the US population. International Journal of Eating Disorders,

45(5), 711-718.

3. Eating Disorders Coalition. (2016). Facts About Eating Disorders: What The Research

Shows.http://eatingdisorderscoalition.org.s208556.gridserver.com/couch/uploads/file/fact-

sheet_2016.pdf

4. Smink, F. E., van Hoeken, D., & Hoek, H. W. (2012). Epidemiology of eating disorders: Incidence,

prevalence and mortality rates. Current Psychiatry Reports,14(4), 406-414.

5. Gagne, D. A., Von Holle, A., Brownley, K. A., Runfola, C. D., Hofmeier, S., Branch, K. E., & Bulik, C.

M. (2012). Eating disorder symptoms and weight and shape concerns in a large web‐based

convenience sample of women ages 50 and above: Results of the gender and body image (GABI)

study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 45(7), 832-844.

6. Diemer, E. W., Grant, J. D., Munn-Chernoff, M. A., Patterson, D., & Duncan, A. E. (2015). Gender

identity, sexual orientation, and eating-related pathology in a national sample of college

students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 57(2), 144-149.

7. Jacobson, I. G., Smith, T. C., Smith, B., Keel, P. K., Amoroso, P. J., Wells, T. S., Bathalon, G. P.,

Boyko, E. J., & Ryan, M. A. (2009). Disordered eating and weight changes after

deployment: Longitudinal assessment of a large US military cohort. American Journal of

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research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 56(11), 1141-1164.

10. Arcelus, 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.

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CM. Management and Outcomes of Binge-Eating Disorder. Comparative Effectiveness Review

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youth. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 12, 213-218.

15. Hanlan, M. E., Griffith, J., Patel, N., & Jaser, S. S. (2013). Eating disorders and disordered eating

in Type 1 diabetes: prevalence, screening, and treatment options. Current Diabetes Reports,

13(6), 909-916.

16. Goebel-Fabbri, A. E., Fikkan, J., Franko, D. L., Pearson, K., Anderson, B. J., & Weinger, K. (2008).

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