Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
This fact sheet reports that people with eating disorders have higher death rates than the general population. Death rates are highest for anorexia nervosa (AN). Bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) have similar death rates. The sheet says older age at assessment was linked to higher…
This systematic review looked at studies from 2000–2018 that measured how common eating disorders are. The authors followed PRISMA rules and included 94 studies with accurate diagnoses and 27 studies with broader categories. Across the accurate-diagnosis studies, women had higher rates than men. Point prevalence estimates rose over time from…
Binge eating disorder (BED) is when someone often eats a very large amount of food in a short time and feels unable to stop. It is the most common eating disorder in the U.S. and is diagnosed when binge episodes happen at least once a week for 3 months. BED…
This review found that eating disorders cause a large health and social burden. In 2017 eating disorders accounted for more than 3.3 million healthy years lost worldwide. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa show rising disability, higher death rates (especially after inpatient treatment for anorexia), lower quality of life, higher costs,…
Orthorexia describes an extreme fixation on “healthy” eating that can harm a person’s health and life. The term was coined in 1997, but orthorexia is not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5‑TR, so how common it is and whether it is its own disorder or part of anorexia or OCD…
This rapid review looked at research from 2009–2022 about outcomes for people with eating disorders. The authors found inconsistent definitions and limited long-term follow-up in the literature. Overall, the evidence points to low rates of remission and a high risk of death—especially for anorexia nervosa—and much of the research focuses…
This narrative review summarizes what is known about eating disorders, focusing on anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED). The authors say these conditions often start in adolescence or early adulthood, are diagnosed more often in young women, and can harm physical, mental, and social health.…
This review describes the medical problems that can come with bulimia nervosa (BN). BN is a mental illness marked by binge-eating followed by purging such as vomiting, laxative or diuretic use, or insulin misuse. It is more common than anorexia, often affects people of normal or higher weight, and can…
This review says there is growing evidence of a link between ADHD and certain eating problems. The strongest links are with binge-eating behaviors and disorders that include bingeing and purging (bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and the binge–purge type of anorexia). Impulsivity is a likely but not proven part of the…
This study asked 333 people with high eating-disorder symptoms about stigma, shame, and whether they sought help. The research found that perceived stigma, self-stigma, and shame together were linked to help-seeking and “predicted 64% of help-seeking behaviour (p = .005)” after accounting for age and gender. The single stigma concern…
Researchers interviewed 10 men with diagnosed eating disorders from four NHS specialist services to learn how they experience body image. They used semi-structured interviews and analyzed the stories with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The analysis produced three main themes — 'Focus on Self', 'Focus on Others', and 'Systemic Influences and Pressures'…
