Most common psychiatric problem of young women.
Eating disorders affect approximately 4. 9% of the women and 2.2% of men in the US.
Estimated lifetime prevalence is for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder in adult women are 1.42%, 0.46%, and 1.25%, respectively, and are lower in adult men with anorexia, 0.12%, bulimia nervosa .08%, and binge eating disorder 0.42%.
Eating disorder prevalence ranges from 0. 3% to 2. 3% in adolescent females and 0. 3% to 1.3% in adolescent males.
Psychiatric comorbidity extremely common.
Occurs most commonly in adolescents and young adults and are 10 times more common in females.
Principal disorders are increased in patients who have the severest disorders.
Dysregulation of appetite lies at the root of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.
Strongly associated with mood and anxiety disorders.
Eating disorders are associated with short term and long term adverse health outcomes including: physical, psychological, and social problems.
Psychiatric comorbidity, and suicidal or self harm ideation and comorbid illness increased risk of death with eating disorders.
A metaanalysis suggested the weighted crude mortality rate for anorexia nervosa was 5.1 deaths per 1000 person-years, and the overall mortality ratio for anorexia nervosa (observed deaths among affected individuals to expected deaths in the general population) was 5.86.
Seen in individuals with low self-esteem, perfectionists, and unable to express negative emotions.
Common among type I diabetic young women.
Hyperthyroidism, inflammatory disease, malignancy, diabetes, chronic infections, Addison’s disease must be considered before the diagnosis is made.
Lifetime risk of major depression 80%.
Frequently progress to chronic illnesses leading to long term treatment and multiple hospitalizations.
Starvation and purging initially calm feelings of anxiety and reduce of obsessions and compulsions by a serotonergic neuronal pathway.
There is a low rate of help- seeking behavior in patients with anorexia nervosa (34.5%), bulimia nervosa (62.6%), and binge eating disorder (49%).
Men and ethnic/racial minorities are significantly less likely to seek help than women and white individuals.