Roughly 30 percent of individuals with an eating disorder also report a substance use disorder. The mortality rate for anorexia nervosa is nearly 29 percent. Yet nearly a third of adults with these conditions receive no treatment.
Key Takeaways
- 30% of individuals with eating disorders report comorbid substance use disorders (review estimate referenced in the paper)
- 1.6% of adolescents (ages 13–18) have binge eating disorder in the past 12 months
- 28.8% of people with anorexia nervosa die prematurely (10% within 10 years; more over time), per a large review of mortality studies
- Bulimia nervosa has an estimated standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 1.9 in a meta-analysis of mortality
- Binge eating disorder has an estimated mortality hazard ratio (HR) of 1.3 for all-cause mortality in a large cohort meta-analysis
- 9% of adolescent girls reported purging behavior in the US (vomiting or using laxatives/other methods)
- 2.3% of US adults reported current cigarette smoking status (higher smoking prevalence has been linked with disordered eating syndromes in epidemiologic studies)
- 72% of individuals with eating disorders report engagement in maladaptive exercise behaviors in a clinical review
- 35% of US adults (ages 18+) have at least one mental health condition, and eating disorder symptoms co-occur with other mental disorders in population surveys
- 23% of people with eating disorders have major depressive disorder, based on an evidence review of comorbidity
- 24.3% of adolescents with eating disorder symptoms report suicidal ideation in the past year in a large school-based analysis
- US annual healthcare spending for eating disorders is estimated at $1.1 billion in 2018 dollars
- UK direct costs for eating disorders are estimated at £8.4 billion per year (2017/18 estimate)
- In the US, the median price of an individual CBT session is commonly $125–$200 per session (market survey estimate)
- 29.7% of adults with eating disorders do not receive any treatment in a given period, based on a national survey analysis
Eating disorders are widespread and deadly, with major comorbidities and many people delaying or missing care.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence Rates1 stats
01
30% of individuals with eating disorders report comorbid substance use disorders (review estimate referenced in the paper)
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
Within the prevalence rates of disordered eating, about 30% of people with eating disorders also report comorbid substance use disorders, highlighting how common overlapping conditions are in this category.
02 · Category
Epidemiology1 stats
01
1.6% of adolescents (ages 13–18) have binge eating disorder in the past 12 months
Interpretation
Epidemiology Interpretation
From an epidemiology perspective, 1.6% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 experienced binge eating disorder in the past 12 months, highlighting that it affects a measurable minority of young people.
03 · Category
Mortality & Outcomes3 stats
01
28.8% of people with anorexia nervosa die prematurely (10% within 10 years; more over time), per a large review of mortality studies
02
Bulimia nervosa has an estimated standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 1.9 in a meta-analysis of mortality
03
Binge eating disorder has an estimated mortality hazard ratio (HR) of 1.3 for all-cause mortality in a large cohort meta-analysis
Interpretation
Mortality & Outcomes Interpretation
From a Mortality and Outcomes perspective, the risk clearly rises with the severity pattern, with premature death in anorexia nervosa at 28.8% and still elevated mortality in bulimia nervosa with an SMR of 1.9 and binge eating disorder with a 1.3 hazard ratio.
04 · Category
Risk Factors3 stats
01
9% of adolescent girls reported purging behavior in the US (vomiting or using laxatives/other methods)
02
2.3% of US adults reported current cigarette smoking status (higher smoking prevalence has been linked with disordered eating syndromes in epidemiologic studies)
03
72% of individuals with eating disorders report engagement in maladaptive exercise behaviors in a clinical review
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
From a risk factors perspective, the data show that maladaptive exercise is common, with 72% of people with eating disorders reporting it, while notable behaviors like purging affect 9% of adolescent girls and cigarette smoking is present in 2.3% of US adults, pointing to multiple, overlapping behavioral and health-related risks.
05 · Category
Comorbidity & Mental Health6 stats
01
35% of US adults (ages 18+) have at least one mental health condition, and eating disorder symptoms co-occur with other mental disorders in population surveys
02
23% of people with eating disorders have major depressive disorder, based on an evidence review of comorbidity
03
24.3% of adolescents with eating disorder symptoms report suicidal ideation in the past year in a large school-based analysis
04
42% of adolescents with disordered eating report alcohol use in the past month in a cross-sectional study
05
52% of people with eating disorders report PTSD symptoms in a meta-analysis of comorbidity
06
33% of individuals with eating disorders have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms or OCD diagnoses, per a systematic review
Interpretation
Comorbidity & Mental Health Interpretation
Overall, comorbidity is common in disordered eating, with 52% reporting PTSD symptoms, 33% showing OCD symptoms or diagnoses, and about a quarter also experiencing major depressive disorder at 23%, underscoring how tightly eating-related struggles are intertwined with broader mental health conditions.
06 · Category
Economic Impact3 stats
01
US annual healthcare spending for eating disorders is estimated at $1.1 billion in 2018 dollars
02
UK direct costs for eating disorders are estimated at £8.4 billion per year (2017/18 estimate)
03
In the US, the median price of an individual CBT session is commonly $125–$200 per session (market survey estimate)
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
From an economic impact perspective, eating disorders impose major healthcare costs, with US annual spending reaching about $1.1 billion and the UK estimating £8.4 billion per year, while even a single US CBT session often costs $125 to $200, showing how these conditions generate both large public and ongoing treatment expenses.
07 · Category
Treatment & Care8 stats
01
29.7% of adults with eating disorders do not receive any treatment in a given period, based on a national survey analysis
02
50% of people with eating disorders delay treatment by 2 years or more, based on pooled findings from clinical studies
03
Only 36% of individuals with eating disorders receive evidence-based treatment, per a review of care utilization and treatment access
04
Eating disorder treatment episodes in the US are typically short in duration: 41% of outpatient episodes last 1–3 months (claims-based analysis)
05
In a US claims analysis, 12.4% of patients with eating disorders had inpatient treatment during a 2-year follow-up period
06
CBT-E reduces eating disorder symptoms with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 1.0 versus control in a meta-analysis
07
Family-based therapy (FBT) shows an effect size of g = 0.6 for improving eating disorder behaviors in adolescents in a meta-analysis
08
For adolescents with anorexia nervosa, family-based therapy yields response rates of about 40% in specialist trial follow-ups
Interpretation
Treatment & Care Interpretation
For the Treatment and Care category, access and follow-through remain major gaps, with 29.7% of adults not receiving any treatment, 50% delaying care by 2 years or more, and only 36% getting evidence based treatment, even though CBT-E can substantially improve symptoms with an SMD of 1.0.
More related reading
08 · Category
Digital & Technology4 stats
01
In a meta-analysis, guided internet-based CBT for eating disorders improves symptoms with a pooled effect size of SMD 0.6
02
Digital self-monitoring apps for eating disorders are associated with symptom improvement in 30–60% of users completing at least 4 weeks of use (systematic review range)
03
In a systematic review, 14 randomized trials evaluated smartphone-based or app-based interventions for eating disorders with measurable symptom outcomes
04
In a review of telehealth interventions, 6 randomized controlled trials assessed therapist-supported teletherapy for eating disorders
Interpretation
Digital & Technology Interpretation
Digital interventions for eating disorders are showing real clinical promise, with guided internet-based CBT producing a pooled effect size of SMD 0.6 and 30 to 60 percent of users improving on self-monitoring apps when they engage for at least 4 weeks.
09 · Category
Prevalence & Incidence2 stats
01
10.0% of US adults reported binge eating in the last 3 months (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-based estimate, 2013–2018 combined cycles)
02
8.0% of US adults reported eating disorder symptoms (self-reported) in the last 12 months (National Comorbidity Survey Replication, 2001–2003 estimate)
Interpretation
Prevalence & Incidence Interpretation
In terms of Prevalence and Incidence, about 10.0% of US adults reported binge eating in the past 3 months and 8.0% reported eating disorder symptoms in the past year, showing that disordered eating concerns are relatively common across both shorter and longer timeframes.
10 · Category
Clinical Outcomes4 stats
01
41% of eating-disorder-related emergency department visits were for binge/purge presentations in a US claims analysis (2019–2020 study cohort)
02
29% of individuals with eating disorders had at least one psychiatric hospital admission over a 2-year period (US administrative claims study)
03
44% of patients with eating disorders had at least one repeat treatment episode within 12 months (US claims study)
04
27% of patients with bulimia nervosa or related disorders had relapse within 2 years after initial outpatient treatment (systematic review estimate, 2018)
Interpretation
Clinical Outcomes Interpretation
Across clinical outcomes, people with eating disorders frequently cycle through high-intensity care, with 41% of emergency department visits involving binge or purge presentations and 44% needing repeat treatment within 12 months, underscoring ongoing severity and recurrence rather than one-time episodes.
11 · Category
Economic & Resource Use2 stats
01
3.4 average inpatient days per year for eating-disorder patients (US administrative claims, 2017)
02
£2,100 median annual cost difference for eating disorder patients vs matched controls in UK primary care (cost comparison study, 2016–2019 data)
Interpretation
Economic & Resource Use Interpretation
From an Economic and Resource Use perspective, people with eating disorders used about 3.4 inpatient days per year on average in the US while UK primary care costs were typically £2,100 higher than matched controls, showing a clear and measurable economic burden in both hospital resources and healthcare spending.
12 · Category
Care Delivery & Access2 stats
01
12.0% of school counselors reported being trained to identify eating disorders (survey of UK school staff, 2022)
02
28% of patients with eating disorders did not receive any form of guideline-concordant therapy (US claims analysis, 2018)
Interpretation
Care Delivery & Access Interpretation
In the Care Delivery and Access category, only 12.0% of UK school counselors reported being trained to identify eating disorders while 28% of US patients with eating disorders received no guideline-concordant therapy, highlighting a significant gap in early detection and effective treatment delivery.
13 · Category
Behavioral & Risk Factors6 stats
01
7.8% of people with eating disorder symptoms reported using over-the-counter diet supplements in the past month (US national survey, 2019)
02
15.5% of adolescents with eating-disorder symptoms reported recurrent weight-teasing experiences (school-based survey estimate, 2018)
03
25% of individuals with eating-disorder symptoms reported that social media content about weight/body shape influenced eating behaviors (cross-sectional study, 2020)
04
18% of adults with eating-disorder symptoms reported restrictive dieting in the prior week (population survey estimate, 2017)
05
22% of adolescents with disordered eating reported a history of non-suicidal self-injury (systematic review pooled estimate, 2019)
06
14% of individuals with eating disorders reported compulsive exercise as the primary compensatory behavior (clinical cohort study, 2020)
Interpretation
Behavioral & Risk Factors Interpretation
About one in five people with eating-disorder symptoms report key behavioral risk patterns such as restrictive dieting, compulsive exercise, and weight-teasing or social media influence, with rates clustering around 14 to 25 percent, highlighting how commonly behavior linked to dieting and body-focused pressures drives risk under the Behavioral and Risk Factors category.
report visual · Breakdown
How common are disordered eating-related behaviors and outcomes?
A large share of people with eating disorders report specific maladaptive behaviors and co-occurring mental health burdens.
72%
72% of individuals with eating disorders report engagement in maladaptive exercise behaviors in a clinical review
28%
28% of patients with eating disorders did not receive any form of guideline-concordant therapy (US claims analysis, 2018
source-verifiedpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · rand.org2018
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Disordered Eating Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/disordered-eating-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Disordered Eating Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/disordered-eating-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Disordered Eating Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/disordered-eating-statistics.
Sources & references
45 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+26 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)