Eating disorders statistics

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions. People with them may eat in ways that harm their health, think about food a great deal and worry intensely about body weight and shape. They can harm physical health and shorten lives, and they are treatable ¹.

The two main manuals name the conditions separately. ICD-11, the World Health Organization's classification, lists anorexia nervosa (6B80), bulimia nervosa (6B81), binge eating disorder (6B82) and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID (6B83). DSM-5, published by the American Psychiatric Association and widely used in research, has a similar list and an 'other specified' group (OSFED) for presentations that do not fit one condition. Older studies used DSM-IV, where binge eating disorder was not yet a full diagnosis.

So each figure here names its condition and, where the source gives them, its time frame and criteria. The time frames used are ever in a lifetime, the past year, the past three months, or the time of the survey. A screening questionnaire is not a diagnosis, and this page keeps figures of each kind apart.

Worldwide

The World Health Organization's count is a modelled estimate. The averages below come from a review of published studies, and the median figures from household surveys in many countries that used the same interview.

• Worldwide, an estimated 18 million people were living with an eating disorder in 2023. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• Worldwide, an estimated 4.7 million children and adolescents were living with an eating disorder in 2023. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• Across studies with an accurate diagnosis (not broad categories), an average of 8.4% of women had ever had an eating disorder. (pooled from prevalence studies, lifetime (ever), published 2019, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Across studies with an accurate diagnosis (not broad categories), an average of 2.2% of men had ever had an eating disorder. (pooled from prevalence studies, lifetime (ever), published 2019, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Across studies with an accurate diagnosis (not broad categories), an average of 5.7% of women had an eating disorder at the time of the study. (pooled from prevalence studies, at one point in time, published 2019, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Across studies with an accurate diagnosis (not broad categories), an average of 2.2% of men had an eating disorder at the time of the study. (pooled from prevalence studies, at one point in time, published 2019, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Across adults aged 18 and over in community surveys in 14 countries, the median country estimate of lifetime binge eating disorder, by DSM-IV criteria, was 1.4%. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2013, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• Across adults aged 18 and over in community surveys in 14 countries, the median country estimate of lifetime bulimia nervosa, by DSM-IV criteria, was 0.8%. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2013, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³

Risk of early death

These ratios come from a review of follow-up studies of people treated for an eating disorder. A ratio above one means more deaths than expected in the general population of the same age and sex. The World Health Organization notes that anorexia nervosa carries a risk of early death from medical complications or suicide. If this is close to home, help is available: see our helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide.

• In follow-up studies, people with anorexia nervosa died at 5.86 times the rate expected for people of the same age and sex (the standardised mortality ratio). (meta-analysis of studies, published 2011, checked 27 Oct 2026) ²
• People with bulimia nervosa died at 1.93 times the rate expected for people of the same age and sex. (meta-analysis of studies, published 2011, checked 27 Oct 2026) ²
• People with an eating disorder not otherwise specified died at 1.92 times the rate expected for people of the same age and sex. (meta-analysis of studies, published 2011, checked 27 Oct 2026) ²

Treatment

Many people with an eating disorder never receive treatment for it. These figures come from the World Mental Health Surveys.

• In the World Mental Health Surveys, 47.4% of adults who had ever had bulimia nervosa had ever received treatment specifically for an eating disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2013, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• In the World Mental Health Surveys, 38.3% of adults who had ever had binge eating disorder had ever received treatment specifically for an eating disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2013, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³

North America

The United States figures come from a national survey of adults that used DSM-5 criteria. Women had higher odds than men of all three conditions.

• In the United States, 0.80% of adults aged 18 and over in a national survey had ever had anorexia nervosa, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2012-2013 data, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁵
• In the United States, 0.28% of adults aged 18 and over in a national survey had ever had bulimia nervosa, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2012-2013 data, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁵
• In the United States, 0.85% of adults aged 18 and over in a national survey had ever had binge eating disorder, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2012-2013 data, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁵
• In the United States, 0.05% of adults aged 18 and over in a national survey had anorexia nervosa in the past year, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, past 12 months, 2012-2013 data, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁵
• In the United States, 0.14% of adults aged 18 and over in a national survey had bulimia nervosa in the past year, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, past 12 months, 2012-2013 data, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁵
• In the United States, 0.44% of adults aged 18 and over in a national survey had binge eating disorder in the past year, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, past 12 months, 2012-2013 data, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁵

South America

Brazil's figures come from a household survey in one city, Rio de Janeiro, not the whole country. Interviewers screened residents, and a clinical interview by phone confirmed the diagnoses.

• In a household survey of residents aged 18 to 60 of the city of Rio de Janeiro in 2019-2020, 1.4% had binge eating disorder at the time, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, at one point in time, 2019-2020 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In a household survey of residents aged 18 to 60 of the city of Rio de Janeiro in 2019-2020, 0.7% had bulimia nervosa at the time, by DSM-5 criteria. (survey, at one point in time, 2019-2020 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶

Europe

England's figures come from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, an official household survey. Its short questionnaire flags a possible eating disorder; a clinical examination of a smaller group then confirmed diagnoses. The survey notes that its diagnosed figure may be an underestimate.

• In England in 2023/4, 9.1% of adults screened positive for a possible eating disorder on a short questionnaire (the SCOFF), which is a screen, not a diagnosis. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷
• In England in 2007, 6.4% of adults screened positive for a possible eating disorder on the same questionnaire. (survey, 2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷
• In England in 2023/4, 11.8% of women screened positive for a possible eating disorder on the SCOFF questionnaire. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷
• In England in 2023/4, 6.1% of men screened positive for a possible eating disorder on the SCOFF questionnaire. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷
• In England in 2023/4, 1.3% of adults had an eating disorder in the past year, confirmed by a clinical examination after a positive screen. (survey, past 12 months, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷

Asia

South Korea's figures count people treated for a diagnosed eating disorder in national health insurance records. They show who reached care, not how many people live with an eating disorder.

• In South Korea in 2015, national health insurance records showed 13.28 per 100,000 people receiving treatment for a diagnosed eating disorder. (administrative records, 2015 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁸
• In South Korea in 2010, national health insurance records showed 12.02 per 100,000 people receiving treatment for a diagnosed eating disorder. (administrative records, 2010 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁸

Oceania

Australia's figures come from representative household interviews in the state of South Australia, not the whole country. The survey defined some conditions more broadly than DSM-5 does.

• In a representative survey of people aged over 15 in South Australia in 2015, 0.5% had anorexia nervosa, broadly defined, in the past three months. (survey, 2015 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹
• In a representative survey of people aged over 15 in South Australia in 2015, 1.2% had bulimia nervosa in the past three months. (survey, 2015 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹
• In a representative survey of people aged over 15 in South Australia in 2015, 1.5% had binge eating disorder, broadly defined, in the past three months. (survey, 2015 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹
• In a representative survey of people aged over 15 in South Australia in 2015, 0.3% had avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in the past three months. (survey, 2015 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹

Binge eating disorder in household surveys

These surveys used different criteria, time frames and places. Read each row with its label, and do not rank the countries.

How to read these figures

Lifetime figures count anyone who has ever had the condition. Past-year, past-three-month and current figures count only recent illness, so in the same population they are lower.

A positive screen on a short questionnaire means a possible eating disorder. Only a clinical assessment can confirm a diagnosis.

DSM-5 changed the criteria and made binge eating disorder a full diagnosis, so DSM-5 and DSM-IV figures are not directly comparable.

Treatment records count people who reached care. They miss people who never reached care.

Eating disorders affect people of every sex, age, body size and background. Some of these studies exclude older adults, and few report results for minority groups.

Eating disorders are treatable ¹. The World Health Organization notes that effective treatments exist, including family-based treatment and cognitive-based therapy. If eating, food or your body is causing you distress, a therapist experienced with eating disorders can help, alongside your doctor. Our guide on how to find the right therapist explains what to look for. If you are in distress right now, see our helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide.

Cite this page: TherapyRoute. Eating disorders statistics. https://www.therapyroute.com/article/eating-disorders-2025-statistics-by-therapyroute. Last updated 28 October 2026.

References

1. [1] Mental disorders. World Health Organization, 11 September 2026 who.int.
2. [2] Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders. A meta-analysis of 36 studies. Archives of General Psychiatry (Arcelus et al.), 2011 europepmc.org.
3. [3] The prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. Biological Psychiatry (Kessler et al.), 2013 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
4. [4] Prevalence of eating disorders over the 2000-2018 period: a systematic literature review. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Galmiche et al.), 2019 europepmc.org.
5. [5] Prevalence and Correlates of DSM-5-Defined Eating Disorders in a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. Adults. Biological Psychiatry (Udo and Grilo), 2018 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
6. [6] Correlates and impact of DSM-5 binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa and recurrent binge eating: a representative population survey in a middle-income country. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (Appolinario et al.), 2022 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
7. [7] Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey: Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, England, 2023/4: Eating disorders. NHS England (Ridout et al.), 27 November 2025 digital.nhs.uk.
8. [8] Economic burden of eating disorders in South Korea. Journal of Eating Disorders (Lee et al.), 2021 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
9. [9] Burden and health-related quality of life of eating disorders, including Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), in the Australian population. Journal of Eating Disorders (Hay et al.), 2017 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.