Ruqayyah Snyder
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that can have severe physical and mental health complications. They are characterised by disturbances in behaviours, thoughts, and feelings towards body weight and shape, and/or food. Eating disorders can affect people of all ages, genders, socioeconomic groups, and cultural backgrounds. In Australia, it is estimated that around 1 million to 1.1 million people, or about 4% to 4.5% of the population, are living with an eating disorder in any given year. This figure has seen a concerning increase in recent years, particularly among younger age groups, with 27% of cases in Australia occurring in those aged under 19.
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What You'll Learn
Eating disorders in Australia by age and gender
Eating disorders are a global issue, affecting all age groups and genders. In Australia, eating disorders are estimated to affect around 4% of the population, which equates to approximately one million people. However, the true number may be higher due to underreporting and misdiagnosis, especially in men and boys.
Age
The prevalence of eating disorders is highest among Australian adolescents, with the average age of onset for an eating disorder between 12 and 25 years. The highest prevalence is found in the 15–19 age bracket, where up to 12% of adolescents had an eating disorder in 2023. A concerning trend shows that 27% of eating disorder cases in Australia are among those aged 10–19, nearly doubling since 2012. This highlights a significant increase in eating disorders among younger age groups.
Gender
Eating disorders are more prevalent in females, with Australian females having a three-month point prevalence of around 16%. Eating disorders are also more common in those from other genders and sexual minorities. Sexually and gender-diverse (LGBTQI+) individuals have a six times higher prevalence of eating disorders compared to the general male population. Transgender individuals also have an increased risk, with an estimated 23% of transgender young people having a current or previous diagnosis of an eating disorder.
While women comprise approximately 67% of people with eating disorders in Australia, the actual percentage of men may be higher due to underreporting and misdiagnosis. Research indicates that over one-third of people with eating disorders are men, and this number is likely an underestimate. Eating disorders in men and boys may present differently, with muscularity-oriented disordered eating being more common.
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Eating disorders in Indigenous Australians
Eating disorders are serious, complex mental illnesses that are accompanied by physical and mental health complications. They are characterised by disturbances in behaviours, thoughts, and feelings towards body weight and shape, and/or food. Eating disorders are highly individual and varied, and in Australia, approximately 1.1 million people or 4-4.5% of the population are currently living with an eating disorder.
Indigenous Australians have poorer mental health compared to other Australians. However, there is a dearth of research into mental disorders, especially eating disorders, in this population. Eating disorders are among the most lethal and debilitating mental disorders, and evidence suggests that they are more common among Indigenous Australians than other Australians. The available evidence indicates that eating disorders among Indigenous Australians are associated with high levels of overvaluation of weight and shape, and the increased risk is largely attributed to factors such as poorer psychosocial wellbeing.
The most common eating disorders among Indigenous Australians are those with overeating symptoms, including night eating syndrome among adolescents, and unspecified feeding and eating disorders with binge eating among Indigenous adults. Binge eating disorders are more common than restrictive eating disorders in this population, possibly due to food insecurity, which is prevalent in Indigenous communities. In remote areas, Indigenous people rarely have access to traditional food or the means to acquire it, and in 2019, 43% of Indigenous people in these areas reported running out of food in the previous 12 months due to unaffordability.
Poverty is another factor contributing to the prevalence of eating disorders among Indigenous Australians, as financial poverty leads to food insecurity and unmet social and emotional needs, which are risk factors for binge eating disorders. When people lack access to food, they are more likely to hoard or hide food when it is available, triggering binge eating. Additionally, intergenerational trauma resulting from colonisation and forced separations of Indigenous families in the 20th century is another risk factor for eating disorders in this population.
It is important to note that there is a lack of validated diagnostic or screening tools for eating disorders in Indigenous Australians, and more research is needed to develop culturally specific assessment tools and improve access to care for this vulnerable population.
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Eating disorders in transgender Australians
Eating disorders are serious, complex mental illnesses that can have severe physical and mental health complications. They are characterised by disturbances in behaviours, thoughts, and feelings towards body weight, shape, and food. Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, socioeconomic groups, and cultural backgrounds. In Australia, it is estimated that around 1.1 million people, or approximately 4-4.5% of the population, are living with an eating disorder.
Among transgender Australians, eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours are even more prevalent. Research has found that transgender individuals are more likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder or to engage in disordered eating compared to cisgender individuals. This is true for both transfeminine spectrum (TFS) and transmasculine spectrum (TMS) individuals, who exhibit higher levels of disordered eating and body dissatisfaction than cisgender people. An Australian study found that 23% of transgender young people have a current or previous diagnosis of an eating disorder.
The reasons for the higher prevalence of eating disorders in the transgender community are complex and multifaceted. One factor may be the restrictive healthcare policies and practices that prioritise binary sex assigned at birth, rejecting gender identity and expression. This can exacerbate eating disorder risk by taking away control and autonomy from individuals. Additionally, the historical emphasis on white, heterosexual, cisgender women in eating disorder research and prevention programs may have shaped perceptions and assessments of eating disorder risk, which may not be applicable to transgender individuals.
Gender-affirming treatment has been found to alleviate the presence of eating disorder symptomatology in transgender individuals. However, the body of research on this topic is extremely limited, and transgender individuals are underrepresented in the eating disorder literature. More studies are needed to understand the relationship between gender-affirming treatment and eating disorder symptomatology in the transgender community.
Overall, eating disorders in transgender Australians are a significant concern, with a higher prevalence compared to the general population. To effectively address this issue, it is crucial to recognise the unique experiences and challenges faced by transgender individuals and provide tailored support and treatment options that affirm their gender identity.
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The economic and social costs of eating disorders
Eating disorders are serious, complex mental illnesses that can have severe physical and mental health complications. They are characterised by disturbances in behaviours, thoughts, and attitudes towards body weight, shape, and food. The economic and social costs of eating disorders in Australia are significant, and they have been increasing over the years.
The total economic and social cost of eating disorders in Australia was estimated to be $66.9 billion in 2023, or $60,654 per person with an eating disorder. This is an alarming increase from the previous estimate of $44.3 billion in 2012. The most significant impact of eating disorders is on an individual's wellbeing, which accounted for $46.1 billion in 2023 (69% of the total costs). This is equivalent to approximately 136,700 years lived with a disability and 30,000 years of life lost due to eating disorders in Australia in 2023.
The economic costs of eating disorders include healthcare costs, productivity losses, informal caregiving, and efficiency losses. In Australia, it was estimated that eating disorders cost the federal government $4.7 billion annually. Household economic burdens include out-of-pocket expenditures on medical and health-related expenses, such as prescription and non-prescription medications, hospitalisations, medical tests, and special food requirements. Economic hardship was reported in 96.7% of participants in one study, and cost-related non-adherence to treatment was reported by 17.8% of participants.
The social costs of eating disorders are also significant, impacting individuals, their families, carers, businesses, and society as a whole. Eating disorders are prevalent among women and adolescents in Australia, with 67% of people with eating disorders being female and 27% being under the age of 19. The increase in eating disorders among younger age groups is particularly concerning, with nearly double the number of cases among those aged 10-19 since 2012. Furthermore, eating disorders are also prevalent among Indigenous high school students, with 28% reporting an eating disorder compared to 22% of other Australian teens.
The high economic and social costs of eating disorders in Australia highlight the urgent need for action and investment in prevention, treatment, and support services to address this public health crisis.
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The prevalence of different eating disorders in Australia
Eating disorders are serious, complex mental illnesses that can have severe physical and mental health complications. They are characterised by disturbances in behaviours, thoughts, and feelings towards body weight and shape, and/or food. Eating disorders can affect people of all ages, genders, socioeconomic groups, and cultural backgrounds. However, they are more prevalent among adolescents and young people, with an average onset age range of 12 to 25 years.
In Australia, it is estimated that approximately one million people, or about 4% of the population, are living with an eating disorder in any given year. This includes disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder (BED). The latest data estimates that the number could be as high as 1.1 million, or 4.45% of the population, with 10.5% experiencing an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. This indicates a significant increase in eating disorders among younger age groups, with 27% of cases in Australia among those aged 10-19, nearly double the rate in 2012.
The lifetime prevalence of anorexia nervosa in Australia is 1.8%, with an average onset age of 16-17 years. Anorexia nervosa is more prevalent among females, who make up approximately 80% of cases. The lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa is estimated to be slightly higher at 1.85%, with an average onset age of 18 years. Bulimia nervosa is also more prevalent among females, who comprise around 70% of cases. Binge eating disorder has an average onset age of 25 years, and its prevalence is nearly as high in men as in women.
Research suggests that transgender people are more likely than cisgender people to be diagnosed with an eating disorder or to engage in disordered eating. An Australian study found that 23% of transgender young people have a current or previous diagnosis of an eating disorder. Additionally, 28% of Indigenous high school students have an eating disorder, compared to 22% of other Australian teens. Binge eating disorders are common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth, with 30% of young people in these communities extremely or very concerned about their body image.
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Frequently asked questions
Approximately one million Australians are living with an eating disorder in any given year, which is about 4% of the population. However, latest data estimates that the number of people in Australia with an eating disorder aged over 5 years old is around 1.1 million, or approximately 4.5% of the population.
Eating disorders are more prevalent among adolescents and young people, with the average onset of eating disorders between the ages of 12 and 25 years. In Australia, 1.2% of males and 8.5% of females aged 14 are estimated to have an eating disorder. This increased to 2.9% of males and 15.2% of females by the age of 20.
Research has found that 28% of Indigenous high school students have an eating disorder compared to 22% of other Australian teens. Binge eating disorders are also common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.
An Australian study found that 23% of transgender young people have a current or previous diagnosis of an eating disorder.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in Australia, followed by other specified feeding disorders.
