Anorexia Statistics in the United States

Anorexia nervosa is a serious and complex eating disorder with significant prevalence and mortality rates in the U.S., especially among adolescent and young adult females. It often co-occurs with other mental disorders, carries a high risk of suicide, and leads to severe health complications. 

Despite being one of the deadliest mental illnesses, disparities in treatment access and funding for anorexia have persisted for decades. Here are the key statistics you need to know about anorexia nervosa in the United States. 

Key Takeaways:

• Eating disorders impact approximately 9% of the global population and cause over 10,000 deaths annually in the U.S.
• Anorexia affects 0.9% of the female population compared to 0.3% of the male population. 
• Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents in the United States. 
• The number of U.S. females with anorexia is projected to rise from 268,400 in 2018–2019 to 282,000 by 2029–2030.
• The median age of onset for anorexia nervosa in the U.S. is 18 years.
• The highest incidence of anorexia occurs between ages 13–18, at 104 cases per 100,000 person-years, with an average disease duration of 3.4 years. 
• Anorexia has an overall mortality rate of 5.9%, with an annual mortality rate of 0.56%. 
• Individuals with severe eating disorder symptoms are 11 times more likely to attempt suicide, and those with anorexia are 18 times more likely to die by suicide than those without an eating disorder. 
• Among individuals with anorexia, the annual suicide rate is reported to be 12 per 100,000. 
• Eating disorders, including anorexia, cost the U.S. healthcare system approximately 4.56 billion dollars between 2018 and 2019.
• In a study, 67% of patients with anorexia nervosa experienced a severe life event or significant difficulty in the year prior to the onset of the condition. 
• 49% of Instagram users who followed health-food-related accounts showed symptoms of anorexia nervosa in a survey. 
• Patients meeting standard diagnostic criteria for anorexia are 14 times more likely to receive recommended treatment than those with atypical anorexia. 
• Research funding for anorexia has increased from 13 million to 20 million U.S. dollars in 2025, with funding per affected individual being only $10 compared to $900 for obesity research. 

Prevalence of Anorexia in the U.S.

• According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), anorexia is diagnosed more frequently in women, with rates 3 times higher than in men. It affects 0.9% of the female population compared to 0.3% of the male population. 
• The Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) reports that eating disorders affect approximately 9% of the world’s population and lead to over 10,000 deaths annually in the United States. 
• According to the Public Health Service’s Office on Women’s Health Eating Disorder Information Sheet (2000), anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. 
• There were 408,000 people with anorexia nervosa in the United States between 2018 and 2019, as per Statista. 
• According to Statista, the projected number of females in the U.S. with anorexia is expected to reach 282,000 by 2029–2030, an increase from 268,400 in 2018–2019. 

• According to the NIMH, diagnostic interview data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) indicate that the median age of onset for anorexia nervosa in the United States is 18 years. 
• Camargo et al.’s 1997 study, “Review of Bulimia in Males,” estimates that 10–15% of individuals with anorexia or bulimia are male. 
• Schlissel et al.’s study, “Anorexia Nervosa and the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Young People: A Scoping Review,” states that the highest incidence of anorexia nervosa occurs between the ages of 13 and 18, at a rate of 104 cases per 100,000 person-years, with an average disease duration of 3.4 years. Atypical anorexia (AAN) has a lifetime prevalence of 2.8% by age 20. The incidence rate of AAN is 366 per 100,000 person-years, peaking around ages 19 to 20. 

Death Rates Related to Anorexia in the United States

• According to Statista, between 2018 and 2019, approximately 340 women in the United States aged 30–39 and 410 women aged 60–64 lost their lives to anorexia nervosa.

• PF Sullivan’s meta-analytic study, “Mortality in Anorexia Nervosa,” in 1995, reported an overall mortality rate of 5.9%, with 178 deaths among 3,006 individuals. The annual mortality rate was calculated at 0.56%, equating to roughly 5.6% per decade. 
• According to the Bulimia Project, over 1 person dies every hour due to an eating disorder, resulting in more than 10,000 deaths annually in the U.S. Among all eating disorders, anorexia has the highest mortality rate, which can range between 0.71% and 12.8%. 

• The Bulimia Project also reports that cardiac complications, particularly sudden cardiac death, account for at least 1/3 of all deaths associated with anorexia. 
• Patel et al.’s study, “Anorexia Nervosa: Evaluating Disparities in Places of Death in the United States Over 22 Years Using the CDC WONDER Database,” analyzed aggregate data on 1,385 anorexia-related deaths from 1999 to 2020. The table below presents the distribution of places of death — home, hospice, medical facility, nursing home, and other locations — categorized by age group. 

Age group (years)	Anorexic deaths at home or hospice	Anorexic deaths in medical facilities or nursing	Any other place of death
15–24	46	46	10
25–34	127	77	13
35–44	120	113	11
45–54	134	107	16
55–64	94	111	0
65–74	50	69	0
75–84	29	52	0
85+	39	45	0

Anorexia and Comorbid Conditions

• The NIMH reports that the lifetime co-occurrence of anorexia nervosa with other major mental disorders among U.S. adults based on data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication is as follows: 

• Bahrami et al.’s 2023 study, “Genome-Wide Analysis of Anorexia Nervosa and Major Psychiatric Disorders and Related Traits,” discovered that anorexia nervosa shares 38 unique genetic loci with major depressive disorder and 45 unique loci with psychological traits related to mood instability. 

Anorexia and Suicide Rates

• According to ANAD, individuals with severe eating disorder symptoms are 11 times more likely to attempt suicide compared to those without such symptoms. In particular, patients with anorexia are 18 times more likely to die by suicide than those without an eating disorder. 

• According to HealthCentral, the risk of suicidal behavior persists throughout a major depressive episode, especially in individuals with a history of suicide attempts or threats. Among patients with anorexia nervosa, suicide rates are reported to be 12 per 100,000 annually. 
• Udo et al.’s 2019 study, “Suicide Attempts in U.S. Adults With Lifetime DSM-5 Eating Disorders,” revealed a lifetime suicide attempt prevalence of 24.9% among individuals with a history of anorexia. 

Causes and Effects of Anorexia in the United States

• Statista reports that between 2018 and 2019, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa cost the U.S. healthcare system approximately 4.56 billion dollars. 
• A study conducted by Cambridge University assessed 72 patients with anorexia nervosa using the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule. 67% of these patients experienced either a severe life event or significant difficulty in the year leading up to the onset of their condition. 
• Sidani et al.’s 2017 study, “The Association Between Social Media Use and Eating Concerns Among U.S. Young Adults,” found that 49% of Instagram users who followed health-food-related accounts exhibited symptoms of anorexia nervosa.
• Shabbir et al.’s study, “Misleading Health-Related Information Promoted Through Video-Based Social Media: Anorexia on YouTube,” analyzed anorexia-related content on YouTube and found that 1 in 3 of the videos were classified as “pro-anorexia.” These videos tended to receive higher viewer ratings compared to “informative” videos that focused on the health consequences of eating disorders.

Anorexia Treatment and Relapse Statistics

• ANAD reports that patients who meet the standard diagnostic criteria for anorexia are 14 times more likely to receive recommended treatment compared to those diagnosed with atypical anorexia.
• Statista reports that research funding for anorexia has grown from around 13 million to 20 million U.S. dollars by 2025, which includes grants, contracts, and other funding mechanisms provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

• According to the NIH data, the average funding allocated to anorexia research amounts to $10 per affected individual, in contrast to $900 per individual for research on obesity. 

• Based on diagnostic interview data from the NCS-R, approximately 33.8% of U.S. adults aged 18 and older with anorexia nervosa sought treatment specifically for their eating disorder between 2001 and 2003. 
• According to a report by Trilliant Health, health visits related to eating disorders, including hospital stays, pediatrician appointments, telehealth therapy sessions, and other services, have more than doubled among individuals under 17 years old over the past 5 years. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Girls in the U.S. Have an Eating Disorder?

According to Statista, between 2018 and 2019, approximately 466,100 U.S. females aged 20–29 had binge eating disorder, while another 570,300 in the same age group were affected by other feeding and eating disorders. 

Who Suffers From Anorexia the Most?

Anorexia predominantly affects adolescent and young adult females. Women are diagnosed at rates 3 times higher than men, though 10% to 15% of cases occur in males.

Is There a Link Between Anorexia Nervosa and Addiction?

Yes, multiple studies show that individuals with anorexia are at increased risk of substance use disorders. Both addiction and anorexia share similar psychological factors, such as impulsivity, perfectionism, and control issues. Read more in our post called “Addiction Recovery Statistics in the United States”.