Cited by 1,338Eating Disorders and BehaviorsNutrition, Health and Food BehaviorObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

The Prevalence and Correlates of Binge Eating Disorder in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys

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Kessler, Ronald C., Berglund, Patricia A., Chiu, Wai Tat, Deitz, Anne C., Hudson, James I., Shahly, Victoria, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Alonso, Jordi +13 more·2013·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background Little population-based data exist outside the United States on the epidemiology of binge eating disorder (BED). Cross-national BED data are presented here and compared with bulimia nervosa (BN) data in the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health Surveys.Methods Community surveys with 24,124 respondents (ages 18+) across 14 mostly upper-middle and high-income countries assessed lifetime and 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Physical disorders were assessed with a chronic conditions checklist.Results Country-specific lifetime prevalence estimates are consistently (median; interquartile range) higher for BED (1.4%; .8-1.9%) than BN (.8%; .4-1.0%). Median age of onset is in the late teens to early 20s for both disorders but slightly younger for BN. Persistence is slightly higher for BN (6.5 years; 2.2-15.4) than BED (4.3 years; 1.0-11.7). Lifetime risk of both disorders is elevated for women and recent cohorts. Retrospective reports suggest that comorbid DSM-IV disorders predict subsequent onset of BN somewhat more strongly than BED and that BN predicts subsequent comorbid disorders somewhat more strongly than does BED. Significant comorbidities with physical conditions are due almost entirely to BN and to a somewhat lesser degree BED predicting subsequent onset of these conditions. Role impairments are similar for BN and BED. Fewer than half of lifetime BN or BED cases receive treatment.Conclusions Binge eating disorder represents a public health problem at least equal to BN. Low treatment rates highlight the clinical importance of questioning patients about eating problems even when not included among presenting complaints.

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  1. [61]Raymond NC Mussell MP Mitchell JE de Zwaan M Crosby RD 1995 An age-matched comparison of subjects with binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa Int J Eat Disord 18 135 143 7581415
  2. [80]Tanofsky MB Wilfley DE Spurrell EB Welch R Brownell KD 1997 Comparison of men and women with binge eating disorder Int J Eat Disord 21 49 54 8986517

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Authors
Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P. A., Chiu, W. T., Deitz, A. C., Hudson, J. I., Shahly, V., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M. C., Benjet, C., Bruffaerts, R., de Girolamo, G., de Graaf, R., Maria Haro, J., Kovess-Masfety, V., O’Neill, S., Posada-Villa, J., Sasu, C., Scott, K., Viana, M. C., & Xavier, M.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • University of Michigan (US)
  • Takeda (United States) (US)
  • Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
  • Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz (MX)
  • KU Leuven (BE)
  • University of Ulster (GB)
  • National School of Public Health, Management and Professional Development (RO)
  • University of Otago (NZ)
  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa (PT)
Corresponding author
Kessler, Ronald C.
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-05
Volume
73
Issue
9
Pages
904-914
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1978365558
Cited by
1,338
References
126
Citations by year
2026: 50 · 2025: 79 · 2024: 123 · 2023: 124 · 2022: 143 · 2021: 112 · 2020: 155 · 2019: 101 · 2018: 106 · 2017: 108 · 2016: 91 · 2015: 85 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 1
FWCI
87.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Repositori digital de la UPF (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Public Health Agency (RES/4792/13)
  • National Institutes of Health (5r13mh066849-04, 5r01mh069864-04, 5r01mh070884-05)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R13-MH-066849, R0 1-MH61905, R01‐MH070884, U01-MH-60220, R01MH061905, HHSN271200700030C, U01MH060220, R01‐MH069864)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (K05DA015799, R01DA016558)
  • Fogarty International Center (R03TW006481)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Keywords
binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, prevalence, comorbidities, age of onset, disease persistence, lifetime risk, sex differences, treatment rates, role impairment, somatic comorbidity, cross-national comparison, eating disorders
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Bulimia, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, World Health Organization, Comorbidity, Prevalence, Age of Onset, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge-Eating Disorder

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