Eating Disorder Prevalence

How Prevalent Are Eating Disorders in the US?

Consider these very serious statistics:

* Research reveals that 40-60% of girls in high school perceive themselves to be overweight and are actively trying to lose weight.
* Approximately 10-15% of these girls can be considered “chronic dieters,” two-thirds of whom are not overweight.
* Ninety percent of eating disorder sufferers are female.
* Girls are particularly vulnerable to the development of body dissatisfaction, unhealthy dieting behaviors and eating disorders.
* An estimated 10 million American women and girls and 1 million men and boys have active, destructive eating disorders — including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.
* Eating disorders are serious health conditions with and anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental illness.

Katie Goode, LMFT
www.HolisticTherapyOC.com