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)