From the Research
Prevalence of Bulimia Nervosa in Adolescent Females
- The lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa (BN) in adolescent females aged 13 to 18 in the United States is estimated to be around 0.9% 1 and 2.6% 2 according to the DSM-5 criteria.
- A study found that the peak onset age for BN was between 16-20 years old 2.
- Another study reported a lifetime prevalence of 0.8% for BN in female adolescents 3.
- The prevalence of BN in adolescent females is significantly higher than in males, with one study finding that eating disorders were relatively rare among males 3.
Comparison of DSM-5 and DSM-IV-TR Criteria
- A study compared the prevalence of eating disorders in adolescents using DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 criteria, and found that the prevalence rates were significantly greater when using DSM-5 criteria 4.
- The study also found that the diagnostic stability of BN was low, and that DSM-5 binge eating disorder or purging disorder in early adolescence predicted DSM-5 BN in later adolescence 4.
Correlates and Characteristics of Bulimia Nervosa
- BN is often associated with significant psychosocial impairment, distress, and suicidality 2, 1.
- Adolescents with BN typically report greater functional impairment, mental health treatment, and unhealthy body mass index compared to those without the disorder 2.
- The average episode duration of BN is around 2.9 months, and the one-year remission rate is around 100% 2.