Who is Effected by Eating Disorders?

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Eating disorders typically emerge between the ages of 12 to 25, with a higher prevalence among young teenage girls. Research suggests that 8.4% of women and 2.2% will experience an eating disorder at some point in their life with 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States alone. Notably, the majority of individuals diagnosed with anorexic nervosa are women comprising 80% of the affected population, while men make up  70% of people with binge eating disorders. 

While the media often portrays eating disorders in white young teens, individuals of color face a higher risk of their eating disorders going untreated. Research indicates that minority groups are more susceptible to binge eating disorders. For instance, black teens are 50% more likely to develop bulimic traits than their white counterparts, while Hispanic adolescents also demonstrate a higher likelihood of suffering from bulimia nervosa compared to non-Hispanic individuals.