Bulimia nervosa in a Canadian community sample: prevalence and comparison of subgroups.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Previous epidemiological studies of bulimia nervosa have generated differing estimates of the incidence and prevalence of the disorder. These differences are attributable, in part, to varying definitions of the illness and a range of methodologies. The authors sought to define the prevalence of bulimia nervosa in a nonclinical community sample, examine the clinical significance of DSM-III-R threshold criteria, and examine comorbidity. METHOD: Subjects across Ontario (N = 8,116) were assessed with a structured interview, the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview, with specific questions added for bulimia nervosa. Subjects who met DSM-III-R criteria for bulimia nervosa were compared with those who were missing only the frequency criterion (two or more binge-eating episodes per week for 3 months). RESULTS: In this sample, the lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa was 1.1% for female subjects and 0.1% for male subjects. The subjects with full- and partial-syndrome bulimia nervosa showed significant vulnerability for mood and anxiety disorders. Lifetime rates of alcohol dependence were high in the full-syndrome group. Rates of parental psychopathologies were high in both bulimic groups but tended to be higher in the subjects with full-syndrome bulimia nervosa. Both bulimic groups were significantly more likely to experience childhood sexual abuse than a normal female comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms other prevalence estimates of bulimia nervosa and its comorbid diagnoses from studies that were based on sound methodologies. It also points to the arbitrary aspects of the frequency of binge eating as a diagnostic threshold criterion for the disorder.
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The observed prevalence estimates were generally similar to those of previous studies.
“The observed prevalence estimates were generally similar to those of previous studies,1–8,22,23 and salient differences in sociodemographic and clinical correlates were observed between eating disorder subtypes.”
From Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in Adolescents: Results From the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (2011) · cites this paper as [8]
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- Authors
- Garfinkel, P. E., Lin, E. H. B., Goering, P. N., Spegg, C., Goldbloom, D. S., Kennedy, S. H., Kaplan, A. S., & Woodside, D. B.
- ORCID
- Venue
- American Journal of Psychiatry
- Published
- 1995-07-01
- Volume
- 152
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1052-1058
- ISSN
- 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
- 1535-7228
- OpenAlex
- W1810793954
- Cited by
- 491
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 28 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 23.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Keywords
- bulimia nervosa, prevalence, DSM-III-R criteria, binge eating frequency, comorbidities, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcoholism, parental psychopathology, child sexual abuse, sex differences, Ontario
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Mental Disorders, Bulimia, Female, Humans, Male, Ontario, Sex Factors, Comorbidity, Prevalence
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