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Cited by 144Eating Disorders and BehaviorsNutrition, Health and Food BehaviorObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

Prevalence of three bulimia syndromes in the general population.

Bushnell, John A., Wells, J. Elisabeth, Hornblow, Andrew R., Oakley-Browne, Mark A., Joyce, Peter·1990·Psychological Medicine
DOI 10.1017/s0033291700017190
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Abstract

Synopsis: Prevalence of bulimia was estimated from a cross-sectional general population survey of 1498 adults, using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) administered by trained lay interviewers. Lifetime prevalence of the DSM-III syndrome in adults aged 18–64 was 1·0% and this was concentrated in young women: in women aged 18–44 lifetime prevalence was 2·6%, and 1·0% currently had the disorder. Based on clinicians' reinterviews of random respondents and identified and marginal cases, the prevalence of current disorder using criteria for draft DSM-III-R bulimia was 0·5%, for DSM-III it was 0·2%, and for Russell's Criteria bulimia nervosa 0·0%. A strong cohort effect was found, with higher lifetime prevalence among younger women, which is consistent with a growing incidence of the disorder among young women in recent years. Although elements of the syndromes were so common as to suggest that dysfunctional attitudes to eating and disturbed behaviour surrounding eating are widespread, there was little evidence of the bulimia syndrome having become an epidemic on the scale suggested by early reports.

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Authors
Bushnell, J. A., Wells, J. E., Hornblow, A. R., Oakley-Browne, M. A., & Joyce, P.
Affiliations
University of Otago (NZ)
Corresponding author
Bushnell, John A.
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
1990-08
Volume
20
Issue
3
Pages
671-680
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
DOI
10.1017/s0033291700017190
OpenAlex
W2140334428
Cited by
144
References
40
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 4 · 2012: 4
FWCI
6.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 6917 d)
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
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
bulimia nervosa, lifetime prevalence, DSM-III-R, DSM-III, eating disorders, young women, cohort effects, eating attitudes, general population
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, New Zealand, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychometrics, Syndrome, Incidence

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