Anorexia and bulimia cases projected to reach nearly 22 million by 2050

by Sanjukta Mondal, Medical Xpress

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Social media trending hashtags such as skinny girl dinner and thinspiration are promoting restrictive eating and a lifestyle centered on staying thin to millions of people around the world. This hunger for thinness is also finding its way into the misuse of GLP-1 drugs (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists), a medical breakthrough that has transformed the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity but is often being misused by people living with eating disorders.

These behaviors become even more concerning when viewed against a recent epidemiological study in JAMA Psychiatry, which estimated that 18.1 million people worldwide were living with anorexia or bulimia in 2023.

People with anorexia nervosa often have such an overwhelming fear of gaining weight that they drastically cut back on food, sometimes starving themselves to the point of dangerous weight loss. Bulimia nervosa takes a different course, trapping people in a cycle of binge eating and purging, using methods such as self-induced vomiting or laxatives in an attempt to prevent weight gain.

As part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 Study, researchers analyzed global health data from 1990 to 2023 to track how many people have anorexia or bulimia, who is most affected by age and sex, how much overall health loss or disability burden these conditions cause, and how these numbers are projected to grow through the year 2050.

Data from 204 countries and territories revealed that, between 1990 and 2023, the total number of people living with these disorders increased by 71.0%. The highest rates were found in high-income regions, particularly Australasia and Western Europe.

Women accounted for a disproportionately higher share of cases compared with men, 69% versus 31%. The researchers forecast that cases will rise to about 21.8 million people by 2050, about 20% more than in 2023.

Not a lifestyle choice

Eating disorders (EDs) are sometimes dismissed as a phase or a lifestyle choice of being a picky eater, but that belief is both wrong and dangerous. EDs are complex mental health conditions that, without timely intervention, can become fatal. The deaths of thousands of people every year are a testament to this.

Both anorexia and bulimia are conditions that stem from a mix of genetic and environmental factors. Teenagers and young adults are most vulnerable to these EDs, which often last a long time or keep coming back.

EDs are among the leading causes of mental health disability, taking a toll on physical health and social lives. Despite their far-reaching consequences, few studies have tracked the distribution, prevalence and long-term trends associated with these disorders.

To build a picture of the global burden of EDs, researchers drew on published studies, population surveys and official cause-of-death records from the central GBD database to track deaths directly attributable to anorexia nervosa. They also calculated disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), a measure of overall health loss that combines years lost to premature death (YLL) with years lived with disability (YLD). Finally, they used pre-pandemic data and population projections to forecast how these trends could unfold through 2050.

Global and regional trends

Bulimia was far more widespread, affecting an estimated 14.2 million people in 2023, compared with 3.92 million living with anorexia. Together, anorexia and bulimia robbed people of an estimated 3.83 million years of healthy life in 2023, according to the DALY scores.

The disorders also followed different age patterns. Anorexia peaked among adolescents aged 15–19, while bulimia was most prevalent among people in their 30s and older. High-income regions reported the highest rates per person, with Australasia and Western Europe leading. However, the regions with the highest rise in prevalence between 1990 and 2023 were East Asia (61.5%) and South Asia (48.5%). The lowest regional rates were observed in sub-Saharan Africa.

These figures show why EDs need to be recognized earlier, tracked more closely and treated as an integral part of mental health care. The researchers also call for more population-based studies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and among groups such as males, whose EDs often go undetected.

Written for you by our author Sanjukta Mondal, edited by Sadie Harley, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Egan—this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

Publication details

Ruhai Bai et al., Global Burden of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, 1990 to 2023, With Forecasts to 2050, JAMA Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2026.3457

Journal information: JAMA Psychiatry

Key medical concepts

Anorexia NervosaBulimia Nervosa

Clinical categories

PsychiatryPsychology & Mental health Who's behind this story?

Sanjukta Mondal

Master's in Chemistry. Freelance science journalist and communicator. Published in Chemistry World, BioSpace, and The Hindu. Full profile →

Sadie Harley

BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →

Robert Egan

Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language. Full profile →

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