Anorexia - How common is it?

Anorexia usually starts in the mid-teens and is more common in girls than in boys.

This is what we know.

About 1 in 150 girls of age 15 have anorexia.[2]
About 4 in 100,000 people aged 10 to 39 get anorexia each year.[3]
About 1 in 200 women get anorexia at some time in their lives.[4]
Anorexia is more common in teenage girls and young women (in their early twenties) than in older women. Children can get anorexia too.[5]
Not many men get anorexia compared with women. For every ten women who get treatment for anorexia, there will be one man.[1] [6] But nowadays, more men are talking to their doctor about having anorexia.

Some people are more likely to get anorexia than others. For more information, see Who's at risk of getting anorexia?

References

Moses S. Anorexia nervosa. January 2007. Family Practice Notebook. Available at http://www.fpnotebook.com/psy79.htm (accessed on 25 January 2007).
Royal College of Psychiatrists. Eating disorders. December 2005. Available at: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/anorexia.pdf (accessed on 25 January 2007).
Currin L, Schmidt U, Treasure J, et al. Time trends in eating disorder incidence. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2005; 186: 132-135.
American Psychiatric Association. Eating Disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th edition. American Psychiatric Press, Washington, DC, USA; 2000.
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. Eating disorder info and resources: general information. Available at http://www.anad.org (accessed on 25 January 2007).
Kendler KS, MacLean C, Neale M, et al. The genetic epidemiology of bulimia nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1991; 148: 1627-1637.

This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.