Anorexia: Statistics, Causes, Signs, & Symptoms

Learn about anorexia

Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder. The most well-known symptoms of this condition are severely restricted eating and an obsession with being thin. People who have anorexia eat at an extreme caloric deficit, and the resulting weight loss can lead to a wide range of significant physical and mental health problems. Starved for nutrition, the body cannot maintain muscle mass, and without sufficient fuel, cognitive functioning is impacted as well.

Left untreated, anorexia will typically worsen over time, causing more and more damage to your mind, body, and spirit. Without treatment, those struggling with anorexia will face many health consequences, even putting their lives at risk. But with comprehensive care, you can overcome symptoms of anorexia, and get your life under control.

By addressing the underlying causes of anorexia in treatment, and by focusing on healing your whole self, recovery is possible and you can live life anew.

Anorexia statistics

The following statistics about anorexia are from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), and the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA):

• Lifetime prevalence of anorexia nervosa was three times higher among females (0.9%) than males (0.3%).
• More than half (56.2%) of respondents with anorexia nervosa, 94.5% with bulimia nervosa, and 78.9% with binge-eating disorder met criteria for at least one other mental health disorder.
• Every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder in the United States.
• Anorexia is the third most common chronic disease among young people, after asthma and Type 1 diabetes.
• Males represent 25% of individuals with anorexia nervosa. Men are at a higher risk of dying from this disease, in part because they are often diagnosed later since many people assume males don’t have eating disorders.

Causes and risk factors for anorexia

While there is no single cause for anorexia, researchers have identified a few factors that might increase your risk for developing the disorder:

• Having a close relative like a parent or sibling who has struggled with mental health disorders, including eating disorders, depressive disorders, or bipolar disorder
• Environmental factors such as experiencing trauma, abuse, or neglect
• Chronic exposure to high levels of stress
• Living in a culture that prioritizes thinness over health, or criticizes individuals who are overweight
• Being exposed to harmful media images that idealize unrealistic weight standards
• Working in an industry that is hyper-focused on thinness

Symptoms of anorexia

Restrictive eating and dangerously low body weight are the most common signs of anorexia, but they are far from the only symptoms of this disorder. While each person’s experience of anorexia will vary, in general, the following are the most common signs that a person is struggling with anorexia:

Behavioral symptoms:

• Acting in an obsessive, compulsive or overly controlling manner regarding one’s eating habits, exercise, and weight-control efforts
• Refusing to eat, including claiming that one is not hungry or has already eaten
• Lying or being otherwise deceptive regarding the frequency that one eats or the type and amount of food that the individual consumes
• Wearing baggy, oversized, or otherwise shapeless clothing in order to hide changes to one’s body
• Weighing oneself several times per day
• Making negative comments about oneself and others based upon weight or body shape
• Spending an inordinate amount of time scrutinizing one’s body in a mirror
• Spending time on websites that encourage extreme food restriction or other unhealthy weight loss practices
• Fasting
• Engaging in ritualistic behaviors, such as weighing all food before eating it, cutting food into minute pieces, or chewing excessively before swallowing
• Exercising excessively, often to the point of exhaustion, especially after or instead of eating
• Possessing and using laxatives, enemas, and/or diuretics without a medical reason for doing so
• Following an extremely strict diet

Physical symptoms:

• Easily breaking bones due to diminished bone density
• Often experiencing colds and infections due to a weakened immune system
• Being incapable of keeping warm
• Appearing frail, excessively thin, or emaciated
• Losing a significant amount of weight in a short period of time
• Hair loss
• Developing lanugo, which is fine downy hair that can appear on the arms, legs, face, neck, and abdomen

Mental symptoms:

• Obsessive thoughts about food, eating, and weight
• Unhealthy body image and low self-esteem
• Distorted view of one’s body
• Trouble with focus or concentration
• Memory impairment
• Delayed response times
• Exhibiting a flat affect, or having diminished or nonexistent emotional reactions

Effects of anorexia

Without getting professional help, the effects of anorexia will become more damaging over time. But by getting quality treatment, you can prevent the onset or halt the progression of the following:

• Heart damage, which can lead to arrhythmia and heart failure
• Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation)
• Hormonal imbalances
• Sexual dysfunction
• Anemia
• Infertility
• Muscular weakness
• Diminished self-esteem
• Social withdrawal
• Dehydration and kidney failure
• Damage to the digestive system
• Loss of bone density
• Self-harm
• Depression
• Suicidal ideation

Common co-occurring disorders among people who struggle with anorexia

Having anorexia nervosa puts you at an increased risk for struggling with other types of mental illness. The following co-occurring disorders are commonly diagnosed among individuals with anorexia:

• Substance use disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)