Prevalence of eating disorders: a comparison of Western and non-Western countries.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the prevalence of eating disorders between Western and non-Western countries.

METHOD: Potential references were identified through an English-language literature search using Medline and Medscape articles.

RESULTS

Prevalence rates in Western countries for anorexia nervosa ranged from 0.1% to 5.7% in female subjects. Prevalence rates for bulimia nervosa ranged from 0% to 2.1% in males and from 0.3% to 7.3% in female subjects in Western countries. Prevalence rates in non-Western countries for bulimia nervosa ranged from 0.46% to 3.2% in female subjects. Studies of eating attitudes indicate abnormal eating attitudes in non-Western countries have been gradually increasing.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of eating disorders in non-Western countries is lower than that of the Western countries but appears to be increasing.