The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.
BACKGROUND
Little population-based data exist on the prevalence or correlates of eating disorders.


METHODS
Prevalence and correlates of eating disorders from the National Comorbidity Replication, a nationally representative face-to-face household survey (n = 9282), conducted in 2001-2003, were assessed using the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview.


RESULTS
Lifetime prevalence estimates of DSM-IV anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are .9%, 1.5%, and 3.5% among women, and .3% .5%, and 2.0% among men. Survival analysis based on retrospective age-of-onset reports suggests that risk of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder increased with successive birth cohorts. All 3 disorders are significantly comorbid with many other DSM-IV disorders. Lifetime anorexia nervosa is significantly associated with low current weight (body-mass index <18.5), whereas lifetime binge eating disorder is associated with current severe obesity (body-mass index > or =40). Although most respondents with 12-month bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder report some role impairment (data unavailable for anorexia nervosa since no respondents met criteria for 12-month prevalence), only a minority of cases ever sought treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Eating disorders, although relatively uncommon, represent a public health concern because they are frequently associated with other psychopathology and role impairment, and are frequently under-treated.
Hudson
James I
JI
Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA. jhudson@mclean.harvard.edu
Hiripi
Eva
E
Pope
Harrison G
HG
Kessler
Ronald C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015988:Cohort Effect; D015897:Comorbidity; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011153:Population; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology