Prevalence In the course of a lifetime, about 1% of females and up to 0.3% of males will develop anorexia (Hoek & van Hoeken, 2003; Hudson et al., 2007). |
Comorbidity Most studies find that at least half—but as high as 90%—of patients with anorexia have at least one comorbid psychological disorder. The most common types of comorbid disorders are depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and body dysmorphic disorder (Cassin & van Ranson, 2005; Dingemans et al., 2012; Godart et al., 2003; Lucka, 2006; Sansone & Sansone, 2011). |
Onset Anorexia typically emerges during adolescence or young adulthood, although the disorder can make its first appearance at an earlier or a later age (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). |
Course Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder—up to 15% (Zipfel et al., 2000). Half of the deaths are from suicide, and the others are from medical complications of the disorder. People with anorexia who also abuse substances have an even higher risk of death (Keel et al., 2003). According to some studies, fewer than 50% of people who survive fully recover (Keel et al., 2005; Von Holle et al., 2008), about 33% improve but do not recover, and 20% develop chronic anorexia (Fichter et al., 2006; Steinhausen, 2002); other studies have found higher rates of full recovery (Johnson et al., 2003; Keski-Rahkonen et al., 2007). |
Gender Differences Approximately 75–90% of people with anorexia nervosa are female (Hoek & van Hoeken, 2003; Hudson et al., 2007). |
Cultural Differences In the United States, females of Black, Hispanic, or Asian background are less likely to be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa than are White females (Alegría et al., 2007; Nicdao et al., 2007; Taylor et al., 2007). |