Fra più e meno: epidemiologia dei disturbi alimentari psicogeni nei paesi occidentali

This review aims to provide an overview of the distribution of eating disorders in Western countries. After discussing some methodological issues, the main findings from the most recent publications dealing with this topic are examined. During their lifetime, 0.6–2.6% of women and 0.3% of men suffer from anorexia nervosa (AN); bulimia nervosa (BN) affects 0.37–4.6% of women and 0.5% of men; in young female population, the reported point prevalence of AN ranges from 0 to 1.5%, while in young men it's 0.2%. Incidence estimates show that AN and BN mostly affect people aged 12–25 years. After two decades of constant increase, currently the spread of AN and BN seems to stabilize. According to the few available data, the overall lifetime prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED) ranges from 0.7% to 2.8%, with a less prominent prevalence in female population compared with AN and BN. Obesity is remarkably widespread in Western world: In the European countries its overall prevalence ranges from about 8% (Switzerland) to over 20% (Greece, Malta and United Kingdom); obesity reaches epidemic proportions also in Canada (approximately 23%) and in United States (over 33%) and is still rising.