Eat Behav. 2026 Sep 4;63:102132. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2026.102132. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are eating disorders (EDs) that represent important global public health concerns. We analyzed their epidemiological characteristics from 1990 to 2021 to assess differences by region, sex, age, and sociodemographic context. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 1990-2021, we calculated age-standardized incidence, prevalence, and DALYs rates (ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR) for EDs, AN, and BN; analyzed temporal trends using joinpoint regression; and quantified inequalities across geography, age, and sex by sociodemographic index (SDI). The global ASIR for EDs increased gradually from 1990 to 2021, with an average annual growth of 0.53%. High-SDI regions, had the highest ASIR, 1.98-fold that of low-SDI regions (P < 0.001). Incidence increased more rapidly among male individuals than female individuals (0.55% versus 0.49%), whereas female individuals had substantially higher prevalence and accounted for 63.7% of DALYs. The 15-24-year age group, spanning adolescence and early adulthood, accounted for 54.3% of cases. For subtypes, the ASIR for BN increased from 91.95/100,000 to 107.81/100,000 (+0.55%/year), whereas that for AN increased from 14.84/100,000 to 16.59/100,000 (+0.42%/year). High-SDI regions also had the highest subtype burdens, with ASIRs for AN and BN 2.36-fold and 1.92-fold those of low-SDI regions, respectively. From 1990 to 2021, the global burden of EDs increased, with the highest burden in high-SDI regions and the fastest growth in middle-SDI regions. Female individuals aged 15-24 years carried the largest burden, although incidence increased more rapidly among male individuals. These findings can inform region-specific, sex-sensitive, and age-targeted prevention and control strategies.
PMID:42715667 | DOI:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2026.102132
