UK eating disorder charity Beat provides the following statistics.
People in the UK believed to have an eating disorder
1.25 million
Most common eating disorder
Anorexia – 10%
Bulimia – 40%
EDNOS †1 – 50%
Likelihood of recovery
Research suggests the following:
46% of anorexia patients fully recover
33% improve
20% remain chronically ill
Similar research into bulimia suggests:
45% make a full recovery
27% improve considerably
23% suffer chronically
Duration
According to Australian research, the average duration for anorexia is 8 years, and 5 for bulimia
Both illnesses can become severe and enduring
Support in the early stages of the illness is key to a full recovery
Impact of disease
‘Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, from medical complications associated with the illness as well as suicide. Research has found that 20% of anorexia sufferers will die prematurely from their illness. Bulimia is also associated with severe medical complications, and binge eating disorder sufferers often experience the medical complications associated with obesity. In every case, eating disorders severely affect the quality of life of the sufferer and those that care for them.’
Note †1: EDNOS – Eating disorder not otherwise specified. This figure include BED – binge eating disorder
Source
Beateatingdisorders.org.uk (2018). ‘Statistics for Journalists’. Available at: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/media-centre/eating-disorder-statistics (accessed: Friday 23 February 2018)