Eating disorders are one of the most common mental health problems, and they can also be one of the most dangerous. Rates of anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are on the rise, and are striking at younger and younger ages, sometimes affecting children in elementary school as young as 7 or 8. Here are some facts and statistics on eating disorders that will give you greater clarity about the scope of the problem:

Eating disorder facts & statistics

1. All told, it’s estimated that 13% of young women will experience a diagnosable eating disorder sometime during their life. (Stice et al., 2013)

2. Eating disorders often coincide with substance abuse problems. One study found that 72% of female alcoholics under the age of 30 had a lifetime history of an eating disorder. (Lilenfeld & Kaye, 1996) Sometimes those affected will vacillate back and forth between the two addictions.

3. Eating disorder-NOS (not otherwise specified) is the most common diagnosis. (Hay, 2008) This suggests that there is no “typical” form for these disorders, and that most people diagnosed don’t fall within the typical diagnostic criteria.

Statistics on eating disorders in men

1. While women and girls are overwhelmingly represented among those with eating disorders, it’s estimated that anywhere from 5% to 15% of those with anorexia or bulimia are male. Among binge eaters, that number rises to 35%.

2. Some estimates put the percentage of men among people with eating disorders as high as 30%. (Flax, 2022)

3. Rates of eating disorders in men and boys are on the rise, and it’s estimated that 1 in 7 males will experience an eating disorder by age 40. (Tauber, 2021)

Anorexia facts & statistics

1. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 1 in every 25 women and girls (or around 4%) will be anorexic at some point during their lifetime.

2. Only around 30% of people with anorexia nervosa fully recover, and around 70 women and girls die from the disease each year in the United States. (Reddy, 7-30-2019; Thompson & Hickey, 2008, p. 49)

Bulimia facts & statistics

1. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 1 in every 25 women and girls will suffer from bulimia during their lifetime, about the same number who struggle from anorexia. While some of these statistics overlap, with the same girls suffering from anorexia or bulimia at different times, around half or so experience only one or the other.

Binge eating facts & statistics

1. Studies suggest that around 2.1% of people (1.7% of men and 2.5% of women) meet the criteria for a binge eating disorder. (Hudson, Pope & Kessler, 2007)