Documenting the trends in eating disorders is difficult because many who suffer from the disorders never seek treatment. Because of the stigma associated with anorexia and other disorders, many who have the disease hide their condition for years before entering an eating disorder treatment program.
Did you know that eating disorders of all kinds – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder – are occurring with greater frequency worldwide? Did you also know that eating disorders have a 15% incidence rate in people between their teens and twenties? Or are you aware that eating disorders most often occur in conjunction
In addition to the disordered eating behavior patterns that characterize an eating disorder, anorexia and bulimia nervosa also often carry with them a burden of shame and isolation. Those suffering from the disorders hide their disordered behaviors, making excuses for awkward disappearances after mealtimes or not participating in mealtimes at all.
Anorexia and bulimia nervosa are caused by a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. The development of the disorders can occur at many different ages, often emerging during adolescence, but sometimes after a significant life event or milestone, such as a divorce.
