Why are eating disorders important to study?
- Eating disorders (EDs) are complex mental illnesses that afflict nearly 5% of the population. While they are most common in women between the ages of 12-35, EDs can affect people of any age and gender and emerge in response to biological, psychological, and social factors.
- Anorexia nervosa (AN) has a mortality rate of 5-10%, the highest of any psychiatric disorder. AN affects nearly 1% of young women.
- Bulimia nervosa (BN) affects nearly 4% of young adults. There is strong evidence supporting psychosocial factors related to peer perceptions and social norms, and biological components related to impulsivity.
- Fewer than half of people with eating disorders recover within five years of beginning treatment. Recovery from eating disorders remains difficult due to a current scarcity of evidence-based treatments and knowledge about the underlying pathophysiology, as well as a limited understanding of how pathology and treatments are related.
