Global, regional, and national burdens of eating disorder in adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years from 1990 to 2021: A trend analysis

Abstract

Background: Eating disorders significantly impact adolescents and young adults globally, yet comprehensive data on their burden and trends are limited. This study aimed to analyze trends in eating disorders among individuals aged 10-24 years worldwide.

Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, we analyzed prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) across 204 countries and regions from 1990 to 2021. Trends were assessed by age, sex, and sociodemographic index (SDI). Bayesian age-period-cohort models (BAPC) predicted future burden up to 2035.

Results: Between 1990 and 2021, the global age-standardized prevalence rate of eating disorders increased from 300.73 to 354.72 per 100,000 population (EAPC: 0.57). Incidence and DALY rates also rose. Australasia had the highest burden, while East Asia saw the largest increase. High SDI regions bore the greatest burden, with countries like Australia and Monaco reporting the highest rates. Women had an 85.89 % higher prevalence than men, but men showed faster increases. Individuals aged 20-24 years had the highest burden and fastest growth. Burden estimates were positively associated with SDI levels. Projections suggest rates will continue rising through 2035.

Conclusion: The global burden of eating disorders among adolescents and young adults is increasing. Urgent, targeted interventions are needed to address this growing public health issue. However, limitations include potential underreporting in underdeveloped areas, temporal bias in prevalence rates, and exclusion of binge eating disorder (BED) and other specific eating disorders.

Keywords: Disability-adjusted life years; Eating disorders; Global burden of disease; Sociodemographic index.