Incidence, prevalence and mortality of anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this review is to evaluate the recent literature on the incidence and prevalence of and mortality associated with eating disorders.


RESULTS
General-practice studies show that the overall incidence rates of anorexia nervosa remained stable during the 1990s, compared with the 1980s. Some evidence suggests that the occurrence of bulimia nervosa is decreasing. Anorexia nervosa is a common disorder among young white females, but is extremely rare among black females. Recent studies confirm previous findings of the high mortality rate within the anorexia nervosa population.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of anorexia nervosa is around eight per 100,000 persons per year. An upward trend has been observed in the incidence of anorexia nervosa in the past century till the 1970s. The most substantial increase was among females aged 15-24 years, for whom a significant increase was observed from 1935 to 1999. The average prevalence rates for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa among young females are 0.3 and 1%, respectively. Only a minority of people with eating disorders, especially with bulimia nervosa, are treated in mental healthcare.
Hoek
Hans Wijbrand
HW
Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands. w.hoek@parnassiagroep.nl
D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015995:Prevalence; D016019:Survival Analysis