Medical Complications and Consequences of Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders Statistics

From Susan Ice, M.D., Medical Director, The Renfrew Center

• Millions of Americans diagnosed annually

• 90% + are adolescent and young women

• Highest mortality rate of any mental illness -- up to 20%

Eating Disorders: Lifetime Prevalence

• 0.5-3.7% of females suffer from anorexia nervosa

• 1.1-4.2% of females suffer from bulimia nervosa

• 2-5% of males and females suffer from binge eating disorder

• 4.5% females, 0.4% males report bulimia in first year of college Source: APA Work Group on Eating Disorders, 2000

Eating Disorders: Prevalence

• 0.5-1% of adolescents have anorexia nervosa

• 2-3% of adolescents have bulimia nervosa

Eating Disorders: Incidence

• Doubled since 1960s

• Increasing in younger age groups, as young as 7 years

• Occurring increasingly in diverse ethnic and sociocultural groups

• 40-60% of high school girls diet

• 13% of high school girls purge

• 30-40% of junior high girls worry about weight

• 40% of 9-year-old girls have dieted

• 5-year-old girls are concerned about diet

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa - Characteristics

• Emaciated look

• Physically active

• Profound weight loss

• Loss of menses

• Body image distortion

• Fear of weight gain

Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa - Medical Complications

• General Health

  • Cardiovascular compromise

  • Osteoporosis

  • Metabolic slowdown

  • Multiple organ compromise

• Suicide

• In adolescence

  • Growth retardation

  • Pubertal delay

  • Peak bone mass reduction