prevalence of eating disorders in adolescence

prevalence of eating disorders in adolescence It is extremely diffi cult to estimate prevalence of eating disorders due to the
large numbers of suff erers who never seek help. Studies suggest that 1–2% of
women meet criteria for AN, 3% meet DSM-IV criteria for BN (Mintz & Betz,
1988), and 2–5% meet DSM-IV criteria for BED (Telch & Stice, 1998). However,
one study reports that 61% of college women have some form of disordered eating,
like chronic dieting, bingeing or purging alone, or subthreshold bulimia,
while only 33% reported normal eating habits (Mintz & Betz, 1988).
Early sociocultural models of eating disorders suggested that ethnic minority
groups would show fewer eating problems than whites. However, although
research results are mixed, there is evidence that the prevalence of eating disorders
among ethnic minority groups is reaching parity with whites (Mulholland
& Mintz, 2001; Shaw, Ramirez, Trost, Randall, & Stice, 2004).
Eating disorders are on the rise among men too, particularly gay men (Herzog,
Newman, & Warshaw, 1991). General estimates indicate that men comprise 10% of eating disorder cases (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). However, in BED, the female to male ratio is closer to 2.5:1 (Spitzer et al., 1992).
Athletics, particularly sports that emphasize a trim body, like gymnastics,
fi gure skating, running, body building, and wrestling, can promote eating
disorders. Female athletes oft en present with the “athletic triad”—amenorrhea, disordered eating, and osteoporosis.