Teen Eating Disorders: Prevalence of Bulimia and Anorexia

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses with peak onset in adolescence. Prevalence estimates vary by study methodology, diagnostic criteria, and population.

Current Best Estimates (US Adolescents 13–18)

Disorder	Lifetime Prevalence	Female:Male Ratio
Anorexia Nervosa (AN)	0.3–0.9%	~10:1
Bulimia Nervosa (BN)	0.9–2.0%	~5:1
Binge-Eating Disorder (BED)	1.6–2.3%	~2:1
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)	2–5%	~3:1

Key Nuances

• Subthreshold symptoms (e.g., disordered eating without full criteria) affect 10–20% of teens.
• Incidence rising: Hospitalizations for eating disorders doubled during COVID-19.
• Underrepresented groups: Males, LGBTQ+, racial/ethnic minorities, higher-weight individuals often missed due to stereotype-driven screening gaps.
• Comorbidity: High rates of anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, substance use.

Warning Signs

• Dramatic weight changes, food rituals, body checking, secretive eating
• Excessive exercise, laxative/diuretic use, frequent bathroom trips after meals
• Social withdrawal, mood instability, cold intolerance, lanugo, dental erosion (BN)

Early Intervention Is Critical

Family-Based Treatment (FBT) is gold standard for AN in adolescents. CBT-E for BN/BED. Multidisciplinary teams (medical, nutrition, therapy) improve outcomes. Early detection → better prognosis.

If concerned, contact a pediatrician, adolescent medicine specialist, or NEDA Helpline (1-800-931-2237).