Eating Disorder Statistics
Eating disorders affect people of every age, race, size, gender identity, sexual orientation and background. Learn more about the populations affected—including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and people in larger bodies—in ANAD’s eating disorder statistics.
- General Eating Disorder Statistics
- BIPOC Eating Disorder Statistics
- LGBTQ+ Eating Disorder Statistics
- People with Disabilities Eating Disorder Statistics
- People in Larger Bodies Eating Disorder Statistics
- Athletes Eating Disorder Statistics
- Veterans Eating Disorder Statistics
- Children & Young Adults Eating Disorder Statistics
General Eating Disorder Statistics
- Eating disorders affect at least 9% of the population worldwide.1
- 9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million Americans, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.2
- Less than 6% of people with eating disorders are medically diagnosed as “underweight.”21
- 28-74% of risk for eating disorders is through genetic heritability.1
- Eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses, second only to opioid overdose.1
- 10,200 deaths each year are the direct result of an eating disorder—that’s one death every 52 minutes.2
- About 26% of people with eating disorders attempt suicide.1
- 30% of people dealing with eating disorders have experienced sexual abuse.23
- The economic cost of eating disorders is $64.7 billion every year.2
BIPOC* Eating Disorder Statistics
* BIPOC refers to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
- BIPOC are significantly less likely than white people to have been asked by a doctor about eating disorder symptoms.3
- BIPOC with eating disorders are half as likely to be diagnosed or to receive treatment.2
- Black people are less likely to be diagnosed with anorexia than white people but may experience the condition for a longer period of time.4
- Black teenagers are 50% more likely than white teenagers to exhibit bulimic behavior, such as binge-eating and purging.3
- Hispanic people are significantly more likely to suffer from bulimia nervosa than their non-Hispanic peers.3
- Asian American college students report higher rates of restriction compared with their white peers and higher rates of purging, muscle building, and cognitive restraint than their white or non-Asian, BIPOC peers.5
- Asian American college students report higher levels of body dissatisfaction and negative attitudes toward obesity than their non-Asian, BIPOC peers.5
LGBTQ+ Eating Disorder Statistics
- Gay men are seven times more likely to report binge-eating and twelve times more likely to report purging than heterosexual men.6
- Gay and bisexual boys are significantly more likely to fast, vomit, or take laxatives or diet pills to control their weight.6
Nearly nine in ten (87%) LGBTQ youth reported being dissatisfied with their body.22
Rates of body dissatisfaction were higher among transgender and nonbinary youth (90%) compared to cisgender youth (80%).22
LGBTQ youth with body dissatisfaction had twice the odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year compared to LGBTQ youth with body satisfaction. 22
- Transgender college students report experiencing disordered eating at approximately four times the rate of their cisgender classmates.7
- 32% of transgender people report using their eating disorder to modify their body without hormones.8
- 56% of transgender people with eating disorders believe their disorder is not related to their physical body.8
- Gender dysphoria and body dissatisfaction in transgender people is often cited as a key link to eating disorders.7
- Non-binary people may restrict their eating to appear thin, consistent with the common stereotype of androgynous people in popular culture.7
People with Disabilities Eating Disorder Statistics
- Women with physical disabilities are more likely to develop eating disorders.9
- 20-30% of adults with eating disorders also have autism.10
- 3-10% of children and young people with eating disorders also have autism.10
- 20% of women with anorexia have high levels of autistic traits. There is some evidence that these women benefit the least from current eating disorder treatment models.10
- ADHD is the most commonly missed diagnosis in relation to disordered eating.11
People in Larger Bodies Eating Disorder Statistics
- Less than 6% of people with eating disorders are medically diagnosed as “underweight.”21
- Larger body size is both a risk factor for developing an eating disorder and a common outcome for people who struggle with bulimia and binge eating disorder.12
- People in larger bodies are half as likely as those at a “normal weight” or “underweight” to be diagnosed with an eating disorder.13
Athletes Eating Disorder Statistics
- Athletes report higher rates of excessive exercise than non‐athletes.14
- Athletes are more likely to screen positive for an eating disorder than non‐athletes, but percentages across all probable eating disorder diagnoses are similar.14
- Athletes may be less likely to seek treatment for an eating disorder due to stigma, accessibility, and sport‐specific barriers.14
Veterans Eating Disorder Statistics
- The most common type of eating disorders among military members is bulimia nervosa.”15
- Body dysmorphic disorder affects 1-3% of the overall population but 13% of male military members and 21.7% of female military members.15
- A survey of 3,000 female military members found that the majority of respondents exhibited eating disorder symptoms.15
- One study found high rates of body dissatisfaction and previous disordered eating behaviors in a sample of young, female Marine Corps recruits.15
Children & Young Adults Eating Disorder Statistics
- 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner.16
- 81% of 10 year old children are afraid of being fat.17
- 46% of 9-11 year-olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets.18
- 35-57% of adolescent girls engage in crash dieting, fasting, self-induced vomiting, diet pills, or laxatives.19
- In a college campus survey, 91% of the women admitted to controlling their weight through dieting.20
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