Bodywhys - The Eating Disorder Association of Ireland

Stats and Facts

The statistics available on the prevalence of eating disorders are limited, and in many ways unreliable because of the very nature of eating disorders. The majority of these statistics are based on small-scale studies and inpatient records. Basing statistics on inpatient records can be particularly problematic, because of the limitation that the statistics refer only to those who have sought out treatment, and been admitted with a specific diagnosis. Those working in the area of eating disorders will acknowledge that the process of diagnosis is more often than not a lot less clear-cut than may be reflected in a statistic.

 

Eating Disorders in Ireland

Statistics specifically relevant to Ireland are limited.

The Department of Health estimates that up to 200,000 people in Ireland may be affected by eating disorders. An estimated 400 new cases emerge each year, representing 80 deaths annually[i].

According to a 2007 study of Irish children and adolescents, 1.2% of Irish girls may be at risk of developing anorexia nervosa, with 2% at risk of developing bulimia nervosa[ii].

Based on the KIDSCREEN study of children in thirteen countries, Irish children aged 12-18 ranked twelfth out of the thirteen countries in terms of self-perception score[iii].

HRB data shows that in the case of child and adolescent psychiatric admissions in Ireland in 2008, eating disorders represented the second highest level of diagnosis at 18%[iv].

 

International Studies

Eating disorders are most prevalent in females in the 15-40 age group, where up to 0.5% may develop anorexia and up to 2% may develop bulimia[v].

Binge eating disorder affects up to 4% of the adult population[vi]. Of those defined as medically obese, up to 30.1% have been found to be affected by binge eating disorder[vii].

The aggregate annual mortality associated with anorexia are more than 12 times higher than the annual death rate due to all causes for females 15-24 years old, and more than 200 times higher than the suicide rate of females in the general population.[viii]

 

Men and Eating Disorders

It is estimated that 10% of cases of anorexia and bulimia are male, though more recent studies suggest this figure could be as high as 25%[ix].

Cases of binge eating disorder are much more equally divided, with up to 50% of cases occurring in men[x].

There has been a 67% increase in the number of men treated for eating disorders in the UK in the last five years[xi].

 

Eating Disorders in Under 18s

In a study of secondary school pupils in Scotland, 26% of girls and 22% of boys said they had engaged in either bulimic or anorexic behaviour[xii].

There has been an 80% increase in admission of under -16 girls to hospitals in England for the treatment of anorexia in the last 10 years[xiii]

 

Eating Disorders and the Media

71.4% of Irish adolescents feel adversely affected by media portrayal of body weight and shape, with more than a quarter (25.6%) believing it to be far too thin[xiv].

A three year study of adolescent girls in Fiji found that purging behaviours had increased from 0% to 11% within the first three years of television being introduced to the Nadroga province.[xv]

The odds of using extreme weight-control behaviours (such as vomiting or using laxatives) are  3 times higher in the highest frequency readers of magazine articles about dieting and weight-loss compared with those who did not read such magazines[xvi]