FACTS ABOUT EATING DISORDERS IN THE U.S.

According to NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association):

• people with anorexia nervosa have a sixfold increase in mortality compared to the general public. causes of death include starvation, substance abuse, and suicide.
• scientists have noticed an increase in death by “natural causes” such as cancer in anorexia nervosa patients.
• the mortality rate of anorexia nervosa is 4%, 3.9% for bulimia nervosa, and 5.2% for EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified)
• patients with bulimia nervosa generally have a higher suicide rate than other eating disorders
• anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa can be (but are not always) genetic, meaning you can get it from your parents and you can pass it to your children. there is lots of research being done on exactly which gene causes anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

According to the South Carolina DMH (Department of Mental Health):

• it’s estimated that eight million Americans have an eating disorder—seven million women and one million men.
• one in two hundred American women suffers from anorexia nervosa
• two to three in one hundred American women suffer from bulimia nervosa
• nearly half of all Americans personally know someone with an eating disorder.
• an estimated 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males.
• eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
• the mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is twelve times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15-24 yeras old.
• 20% of people suffering from anorexia nervosa will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.
• only one in ten people with eating disorders receive treatment.
• treatment of an eating disorder in the US ranges from $500 per day to $2,000 per day. the average cost for a month of inpatient treatment is $30,000. it is estimated that individuals with eating disorders need anywhere from three to six months of inpatient care. health insurance companies for several reasons do not typically cover the cost of treating eating disorders.
• the cost of outpatient treatment, including therapy and medical monitoring, can extend to $100,000 or more.
• anorexia nervosa is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents.
• 95% of thsoe who have eating disorders are between the ages of twelve and twenty-five.
• 50% of girls between the ages of eleven and thirteen see themselves as overweight.
• 80% of thirteen-year-olds have attempted to lose weight.
• 74% of American Indian girls reported dieting and purging with diet pills.
• eating disorders are one of the most common psychological problems facing young women in Japan.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

• 5-10% of anorexics die within ten years after contracting the disease; 18-20% of anorexics will be dead after twenty years and only 30-40% ever fully recover.

FACTS ABOUT EATING DISORDERS IN THE UK

According to disordered-eating.co.uk (official sources listed in parentheses after fact):

• at least 1.1 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder, with young people in the age group of 14-25 years old being most at risk of developing this type of illness.
• one woman in twenty will have eating habits which give cause for concern; most will be aged 14 to 25 years old (Mind).
• girls and women are ten times more likely than boys and men to suffer from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (The Royal College of Psychiatrists).
• an investigation into the problem of eating disorders revealed that at least 1% of women are affected by eating disorders (The Independent on Sunday).
• in 2006, NHS hospitals treated 58 children under ten years old for eating disorders. this included 35 boys. in the same year, more girls aged below eighteen yeras were treated in NHS hospitals for eating disorders than at any other time over the past decade (Liberal Democrats).

According to Beat (in a survey of six hundred young people with eating disorders):

• only 1% of children felt they could talk to their parents about their eating-related concerns. 9% of children felt they might be able to talk to someone at school, 17% of children felt they might be able to talk to a doctor or nurse, but 92% of children felt they couldn’t tell anyone.
• Beat currently believes the number of people ceceiving treatment for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa to be near 90,000 while many more people have eating disorders undiagnosed, in particular those with bulimia nervosa.
• a person with an eating disorder can recover within five years providing they receive appropriate treatment, but in some cases, the illness will persist throughout life.

EFFECTS OF ANOREXIA

According to healthyplace.com:

• the hair on the head can become thin and fall out, but there can be an increase in body hair which is of a very fine/soft quality.
• the skin can become dry and hands/feet cold and blue from poor circulation.
• once body weight drops below a certain level, periods become infrequent and then stop. some women have problems becoming pregnant after anorexia. in teenagers, the drop in estrogen levels caused by severe weight loss can lead to delay in or regression of secondary sexual characteristics.
• blood pressure can drop due to inadequate body fluid levels, causing episodes of fainting, feeling dizzy, and palpitations. some of these symptoms are secondary to anemia and a low blood sugar.
• heart muscle can waste away and heart failure can develop due to anorexia. this is one of the most common ways that anorexics die.
• low blood sugar from inadequate food intake and high cholesterol levels can be found. the liver does not function well during/after anorexia.
• the body temperature drops and the person feels cold all the time because there is so little subcutaneous fat.
• the levels of vitamins and minerals can drop, causing low levels of potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, and calcium. this can lead to abnormal heart rhythms and can be very dangerous.
• low protein levels can lead to swollen ankles.
• muscle weakness and wasting, particularly in the upper arm and leg muscles, can occur.
• bone protein loss and calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis and increased risk of fractures.
• concentration can become poor and there can be difficulty in undertaking complex thought.
• people with anorexia are frequently depressed, low mood being a common finding in starvation.
• epileptic fits can occur with low calcium levels.
• kidney stones can occur and getting up to pass urine at night is common.
• emptying of the stomach slows down and constipation is common.

EFFECTS OF BULIMIA

According to healthyplace.com:

• acid from the stomach contents can wear away the enamel covering the surface of the teeth, leading to eroding of the surfaces of the back of the teeth. some people with eating disorders develop gum disease. these problems can lead to premature loss of teeth.
• acid regurgitation can inflame the esophagus in a condition called oesophagitis. the symptoms are of heartburn and chest pains, particularly with eating and drinking, limiting food intake even more. severe and frequent vomiting can even lead to tears in the wall of the esophagus and stomach, which can be life-threatening.
• the salivary glands can become enlarged and painful. this is a common complication of dehydration.
• inflammation of the pancreas leading to severe abdominal pain and vomiting is another dangerous complication.
• heart rhythm disturbances can be induced by a lack of potassium in the body fluids.
• calluses on the back of the hands can be caused by rubbing on the teeth to induce vomiting.

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