Introduction
Research in the field of eating disorders is in its infancy. Statistics often vary and sometimes seem contradictory, reflecting the need for more work and larger studies upon which to base prevalence rates and other relevant information. The following statistics may help to give you a snapshot view about eating disorders and some of the associated issues. Where possible we have tried to access Australian statistics. Refer to the EDFV website www.eatingdisorders.org.au for more information and statistics

Prevalence

• Eating disorders can be found in people as young as seven and as old as 70 years. ¹
• Although there is great variation in prevalence rates cited in various sources, according to strict clinical criteria it is generally estimated that in Australia 2-3% of adolescent and adult females satisfy the DSM IV diagnostic criteria for anorexia and bulimia nervosa ² . Approximately one in 100 adolescent girls develop anorexia nervosa. ³ Anorexia Nervosa is the third most common chronic illness for adolescent girls in Australia (after obesity and asthma). ⁴ The incidence of Bulimia Nervosa in the Australian population is 5 in 100. ⁵ At least two studies have indicated that only about one tenth of the cases of bulimia in the community are detected. ⁶ The true incidence is estimated to be as high as 1 in 5 in the student population. ⁷ The prevalence of Binge Eating Disorder in the general population is estimated to be 4%.⁸ The incidence of Binge Eating Disorder in males and females is almost equal. ⁹
• The rate of diabetes mellitus in people under 20 is about 0.3%. This compares with the rate of Anorexia in girls of the same age group of between .5 – 1%. The lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia is usually estimated at between 0.5% and 1% (American Psychiatric Association). Research has not been done to definitively identify the number of people with eating disorders in Australia however the combined prevalence of eating disorders in the Australian community can be estimated to be at least 7%.¹⁰
• 1 in 20 Australian women admitted to having suffered from an eating disorder while 1 in 4 individuals know someone who has an eating disorder. ¹¹

Features

• Onset of anorexia is generally in adolescence with bulimia and binge eating more likely to first occur in late adolescence or early adulthood. The long-term nature of these disorders means that many people carry these conditions well into their adulthood. ¹² The average time that someone suffers from anorexia is five years. ¹³
• Low self esteem increases the chance of developing disordered eating. ¹⁴ More than half of anorexia sufferers have been sexually abused or experienced some other major trauma. ¹⁵
• 40% of people with anorexia nervosa are at risk of developing bulimia nervosa. ¹⁶
• 92% of people with bulimia said that seeking help was entirely their own choice whereas only 19% of people with anorexia agreed. ¹⁷
• It is common for people suffering from bulimia to keep their disorder hidden for 8-10 years, at great cost to their physical and psychological health. ¹⁸
• 83% of bulimic patients vomit, 33% abuse laxatives, and 10% take diet pills. ¹⁹
• One in ten young adults and approximately 25% of children diagnosed with anorexia nervosa are male. ²⁰

Wellbeing

• The overall mortality rate for anorexia is 5 times that of the same aged population in general, with death from natural causes being 4 times greater (ie cardiac arrhythmia, infection etc) and deaths from unnatural causes 11 times greater. Risk of successful suicide is particularly high being 32 times that expected. ²¹ Anorexia is the most fatal of all psychiatric illnesses. Mortality rates after 20 years are between 15-20%.²² The mortality rate for bulimia nervosa is estimated to be up to 19%.²³
• About 50% of people who develop Anorexia will return to a normal body weight within 6 months of treatment. 25% will have a low but stable weight, and the remaining 25% will be chronically ill with the condition or die. ²⁴ The best outcomes are achieved for those whose condition is identified early and receive appropriate treatment. ²⁵ 70% of individuals who undertake treatment for Bulimia Nervosa report a significant improvement in their symptoms. ²⁶
• People with bulimia may have had one or several suicide attempts and there is a high incidence of depression amongst bulimia sufferers. ²⁷
• Young Australian women who start dieting before the age of 15 are more likely to experience depression, binge eating, purging, and physical symptoms such as tiredness, low iron levels and menstrual irregularities. ²⁸ Women who diet frequently (more than 5 times) are 75% more likely to experience depression. ²⁹

Weight Loss DietIng

• Dieting is the greatest risk factor for the development of an eating disorder. 68% of 15 year old females are on a diet, of these, 8% are severely dieting. Adolescent girls who diet only moderately, are five times more likely to develop an eating disorder than those who don’t diet, and those who diet severely are 18 time more likely to develop an eating disorder. ³⁰
• A Victorian study of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years classified 38% of girls and 12% of boys as "intermediate" to "extreme" dieters (i.e., at risk of an eating disorder). ³¹ A Sydney study of adolescents aged 11 to 15 reported that 16% of the girls and 7% of the boys had already employed at least one potentially dangerous method of weight reduction, including starvation, vomiting and laxative abuse. ³²
• 31% of young women surveyed between 18 and 23 reported that at some time they had at least experimented with unhealthy eating behaviours including making themselves purge, deliberately abusing laxatives or diuretics, or fasting for at least 24 hours in order to lose weight. ³³
• Dieting to control weight in adolescence is not only ineffective, it may actually promote weight gain A study of adolescents showed that after 3 years of follow-up, regular adolescent dieters gained more weight than non-dieters. ³⁴
• Australians spend about $1 million a day on weight loss attempts with little success ³⁵

1. Dooley, R. (1991) cited in H. Royle (1992). Eating disorders and the young. Transitions: Youth Affairs Network of Queensland Journal, October 1992-February 1993.
2. Clayer,J. McFArlabe,A., Bookless,. Air, T., Wright, G., & Czechowicz, A (1995). Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in rural South Australia The Medical Journal of Australia. 163 pp 124-19.Cited in The encultured body p 6 School of Nursing Queensland University of Technology 2000
3. National Institute of Mental Health. (1994). Eating Disorders. (NIH Publication No 94-3477.) Maryland: National Institute of Mental Health
4. Hsu LKG. (1996). Epidemiology of the eating disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 19, 681-700.
5. Women’s Health Queensland Wide Fact Sheet 2.021. In Sanders et al (1995) Body Image, Sex Role Stereotyping and Disordered Eating Behaviours. Queensland: University of Queensland.
6. Sullivan, F.P. (1995). Mortality in Anorexia Nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152 (7), 1053-1074.
7. Sydney Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Eating Disorder Clinic cited in Girlfriend Magazine, October, 1994.
8. Wilfley, D., Agras, W., Telch, C., Rossiter, E., Schneider, J., Cole, A., Sifford, L., & Raeburn, S. (1993). Cited in Howell, P. (1999) Information on Eating Disorders for Health Practitioners. EDFV, Victoria.
9. Paxton, S. (1998). Do men get eating disorders? In Everybody Newsletter of Body Image and Health Inc. vol2, August 1998.
10. Eating Disorders Association Queensland. Second National Mental Health Plan once again ignores eating disorders article (1998)
11. Newspoll Study: Poll shows brekky skippers abound, The Australian, 28 February, 1998.
12. Paxton, Susan (1998) “Do Men Get Eating Disorders?” in Everybody – Newsletter of Body Image and Health Inc. Vol 2 August 1998, pg 41
13. Beaumont, P. (2000). Anorexia Nervosa as a mental and physical illness – the medical perspective. In D. Gaskill and F. Sanders (Eds.). The Encultured Body – Policy Implications for Healthy Body Image and Distorted Eating Behaviours. (pp80-94) Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology.
14. Button, E., Loan, P., Davies, J., & Sonuga-Barke, E. (1997) Self-esteem, eating problems, and psychological well-being in a cohort of schoolgirls aged 15-16: A questionnaire and interview study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 21(1), 39-47
15. Kildey, L (1998, July 23). Anorexia submits to a cheaper cure. Sydney Morning Herald. p17.
16. Hamburg, P. (1996). How long is long-term therapy for Anorexia Nervosa? In I. Yalom, D. Jossey-Bass (Ed.) Treating Eating Disorders. (71-101) San Francisco.
17. Bemis-Vitousek, K (2000) “Developing Motivation for Change in Individuals with Eating Disorders” in Gaskill D and Sanders F (eds) (2000) “The Encultured Body – Policy Implications for Healthy Body Image and Distorted Eating Behaviours School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Queensland University of Technology pg 97
18. Women’s Health Queensland Wide Inc. (1997). Understanding Eating Disorders. Queensland: Women’s Health Queensland Wide Inc. and The Eating Disorders Association Resource Centre.
19. Royal Prince Henry Eating Disorders Unit, Sydney, cited in Cooke, K. (1997). Real Gorgeous. St. Leonards, Allen & Unwin.
20. Paxton, Susan (1998) “Do Men Get Eating Disorders?” in Everybody – Newsletter of Body Image and Health Inc. Vol 2 August 1998, pg 41
21. Beaumont, P. (2000). Anorexia Nervosa as a mental and physical illness – the medical perspective. In D. Gaskill and F. Sanders (Eds.). The Encultured Body – Policy Implications for Healthy Body Image and Distorted Eating Behaviours. (pp80-94) Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology.
22. Garner, D., Vitousek, K. & Pike, K. (1997). Cognitive-behavioural therapy for anorexia nervosa. In Garner, D. & Garfinkel, P. (1997) Handbook of Treatment for Eating Disorders, 2nd ed. The Guilford Press: New York.
23. Grotheus, K. (1998). Eating Disorders and adolescents: an overview of maladaptive behaviour. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 11(4), 146-156.
24. World Health Organisation (1997) Management of Mental Disorders. Darlinghurst: World Health Organisation.
25. Hamburg, P. (1996). How long is long-term therapy for Anorexia Nervosa? In I. Yalom, D. Jossey-Bass (Ed.) Treating Eating Disorders. (71-101) San Francisco.
26. World Health Organisation (1997) Management of Mental Disorders. Darlinghurst: World Health Organisation.
27. Edelstein, C., Haskew, P., & Kramer, J. (1989). Early cues to Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Patient Care, 23, 155-175.
28. Lee, C. (Ed.) (2001). Women’s Health Australia: What do we know? What do we need to know?: Progress on the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health 1995-2000. Brisbane, Australian Academic Press Pty Ltd.
29. Kenardy, J., Brown, W.J., & Vogt, E. (2001). Dieting and health in young Australian women. European Eating Disorders Review, 9(4), 242-254.
30. Patton, G.C., Selzer, R., Coffey, C., Carlin, J.B., & R Wolfe, R. (1999). Onset of adolescent eating disorders: population based cohort study over 3 years. British Medical Journal, 318, 765-768
31. Patton G, Carlin JB, Shao Q, Hibbert, M., Rosier, M., Selzer, R. and Bowes, G. (1997). Adolescent dieting: healthy weight control or borderline eating disorder? J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 38, 299-306.
32. O'Dea JS, Abraham S, Heard R. (1996) Food habits, body image and weight control practices of young male and female adolescents. Aust J Nutr Diet, 53: 32-38
33. Brown, W.J., Ball, K., & Powers, J. (1998) Is life a party for young women? ACHPER Healthy Lifestyles Journal, 45(3), 21-26.
34. Field, A, Austin, S. B. Taylor, C. B. Malspeis, S. Rosner, B. Rockett H, Gillman, W. and. Colditz, G. (2003) Relation Between Dieting and Weight Change Among Preadolescents and Adolescents . Pediatrics Vol. 112 No. 4 October 2003,. 900-906
35. Body Image and Health Inc (1999) New Resource: Weight loss checklist. In Everybody, Newsletter of Body Image and Health Inc, Issue 6, June 1999, pp11-12