Teen Eating Disorder Statistics 2024

Teen eating disorders are a serious and growing concern, affecting 2.7% of American adolescents each year. Female teens and those aged 17-18 are especially vulnerable, as well as LGBTQ+ teens and those who belong to ethnic minorities. 

Eating disorders affect both physical and mental health, leading to severe complications, including death. In this post, let’s look at important statistics and trends about teen eating disorders in the U.S.

Key Takeaways 

• Each year, about 2.7% of American teens (aged 13-18) experience an eating disorder.
• In the U.S., female teens have a higher prevalence of eating disorders (3.8%) than males (1.5%).
• Teens aged 17-18 in America have the highest lifetime prevalence of eating disorders at 3%.
• In the U.S., health visits for eating disorders in teenagers increased by 107.4% from 2018 to 2022.
• 16.64% of American teens in a survey engaged in unhealthy weight loss behaviors between 1999 and 2013.
• 9% of LGBTQ+ youth (aged 13-24) in the United States reported a formal eating disorder diagnosis in 2021. 
• In 2021, transgender boys (12%) and non-binary AFABs (11%) in the U.S. had the highest prevalence of eating disorder diagnoses among LGBTQ+ teens.
• Native/Indigenous (12%) and Multiracial (10%) LGBTQ+ youth in the U.S. reported the highest rates of diagnosed eating disorders in 2021. 
• In 2021, LGBTQ+ youth with an eating disorder were 4 times more likely to have attempted suicide than those without a disorder.
• In 2020, about 54% of LGBTQ+ American adolescents in a survey had been formally diagnosed with an eating disorder.
• In 2011, between 73% and 88% of American teens with eating disorders had contact with a service provider.
• In 2011, 3-28% of American teens specifically discussed their eating or weight issues with professionals.
• In the U.S., teens facing racial or ethnic discrimination are 3 times more likely to develop binge-eating disorder.
• Between 2018 and 2019, 60 American boys aged 15-19 died from anorexia nervosa.

The Prevalence of Eating Disorders Among U.S. Teens

• According to the National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement conducted between 2001 and 2004: 

• Around 2.7% of U.S. adolescents (aged 13 to 18) have had an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
• Eating disorders are more common in female teenagers, with a prevalence of 3.8%, compared to 1.5% in males.
• Among teenage groups, individuals aged 17-18 have the highest lifetime rates of an eating disorder at 3%. 

• According to Zhou et.al’s 2024 study “Unhealthy weight control behaviors and health risk behaviors in American youth”, among 109,023 American teenagers surveyed between 1999 and 2013, 16.64% engaged in unhealthy weight loss behaviors, including vomiting, diet pills, and excessive fasting. 
• According to the 2021 Health & Risk Behaviors Of Massachusetts Youth Report, 70% of surveyed middle and high school students admitted to unhealthy eating practices, such as skipping meals, purging, and misusing substances like laxatives or diet pills to control their weight.
• The 2022 Mental Health in America survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and CNN found that nearly two-thirds of American adults and parents (67% and 65%) expressed concern about the harmful effects of eating disorders on the lives of teenagers.
• 2012 data from the Eating Disorders Coalition shows that anorexia nervosa ranks as the third most prevalent chronic illness affecting adolescents in the United States.
• According to Swanson et.al’s 2011 study “Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in Adolescents”: 

• The prevalence of eating disorders among U.S. teens (aged 13 to 18 years) was 0.3% for anorexia nervosa, 0.9% for bulimia nervosa, and 1.6% for binge eating disorder.
• The prevalence of subthreshold eating disorders was 0.8% for subthreshold anorexia nervosa and 2.5% for subthreshold binge eating disorder.
• Among teens diagnosed with eating disorders in the past 12 months, 97% with anorexia nervosa, 78% with bulimia nervosa, and 63% with binge eating disorder reported significant functional impairment.

Eating Disorders in LGBTQ+ Teens

• According to The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health: 

• 9% of surveyed LGBTQ+ youth (aged 13 to 24) reported having been diagnosed with an eating disorder, while another 29% believed they may have one without a formal diagnosis.
• Transgender boys and non-binary AFABs (assigned female at birth) had the highest prevalence of eating disorder diagnoses at 12% and 11% respectively. 

• Native/Indigenous (12%) and Multiracial (10%) LGBTQ+ youth reported the highest rates of diagnosed eating disorders in 2021. In addition, roughly one-third (33%) of individuals in both groups suspected they may have an eating disorder but had not been formally diagnosed.

• Black LGBTQ+ youth had similar rates of suspecting they have an eating disorder as their White LGBTQ+ peers (28% vs. 27%), even though White LGBTQ+ youth were diagnosed with eating disorders at double the rate of Black LGBTQ+ youth (9% vs. 4%).
• Compared to those without an eating disorder, LGBTQ+ youth who had an eating disorder diagnosis were 4 times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past 12 months.

• Parker et.al’s 2020 study “Eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors in the LGBT population” reported that: 

• About 54% of LGBTQ+ adolescents have received a formal diagnosis of an eating disorder at some stage in their lives.
• 21% of LGBTQ+ adolescents think they may have dealt with an eating disorder at some point, even though they haven’t been officially diagnosed.
• 60.9% of LGBTQ+ adolescents indicated they took part in at least one behavior linked to disordered eating in the past year.
• According to the 2018 Eating Disorders Among LGBTQ Youth report by The Trevor Project and the National Eating Disorders Association: 

• 54% of the surveyed youth reported that they have been diagnosed with an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
• Of the 46% of LGBTQ+ youth who did not have a formal diagnosis, 54% shared concerns that they might be suffering from an undiagnosed eating disorder.
• Cisgender female LGBTQ+ youth had the highest reported rates of eating disorder diagnoses, with 54% stating they have received a diagnosis.
• High rates of eating disorders were also found among gender non-conforming and transgender male LGBTQ+ youth, with 40% of gender non-conforming and genderqueer respondents and 39% of transgender males reporting a diagnosis.

• 58% of LGBTQ+ youth diagnosed with an eating disorder stated they had contemplated suicide. Of these individuals, those with bulimia nervosa had the highest rate of suicidal ideation (96%), followed by anorexia nervosa (92%), binge eating disorder (86%), and other eating disorders (85%). 
• 34% of LGBTQ+ adolescents who attempted suicide in the past year were diagnosed with an eating disorder.

Service Use Among Teens With Eating Disorders

• According to Pastore et.al’s 2023 study “Alarming Increase of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents”, from 2018 to 2022, there was a 107.4% rise in health visits for eating disorders among individuals under 17 in the United States. In early 2018, around 50,000 visits were recorded, which surged to over 100,000 by 2022.
• According to Swanson et.al’s 2011 study “Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in Adolescents”: 

• Between 73% and 88% of adolescents diagnosed with eating disorders had interacted with service providers, including mental health professionals, school counselors, or general healthcare services.
• Only 3% to 28% of these adolescents had specifically discussed their eating or weight problems with a professional.

Teen Eating Disorders and Ethnicity 

• According to Raney et.al’s 2023 study “Racial discrimination is associated with binge eating disorder”, adolescents in the U.S. who are subjected to racial or ethnic discrimination have a 3 times higher risk of developing binge eating disorder compared to those who have not encountered such bias.

Teen Eating Disorders and Mortality Rates

• According to Statista, between 2018 and 2019, approximately 60 American males aged 15 to 19 died due to anorexia nervosa, making it the deadliest eating disorder among this age group. 

• According to Swanson et.al’s 2011 study “Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in Adolescents”, the mortality rate for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa among teenagers was 4.0% and 3.9% in 2011.  For non-specified eating disorders, the mortality rate was 5.2%. 

You may also be interested in our other article such as :

Teenage Depression Statistics in the United States

Teen Mental Health Statistics North Carolina

Teenage Cyberbullying Statistics 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cyberbullying Linked to Eating Disorders in U.S. Teens?

Yes, Cheng, M et.al’s 2023 study “Cyberbullying and eating disorder symptoms in U.S. early adolescents” shows that cyberbullying victimization is strongly linked to disordered eating behaviors. 

Victims are over twice as likely to worry about weight gain, engage in unhealthy compensatory behaviors, and experience binge eating and distress associated with it. 

Learn more about cyberbullying in our post called “Teenage Cyberbullying Statistics 2024”.

Are Eating Disorders Linked to Suicide in U.S. Teens?

According to a 2021 study by Patel et.al, American adolescents with eating disorders are 5 times more likely to experience suicidal ideation compared to those without eating disorders.

Which Eating Disorder Is the Most Common in U.S. Teens?

Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder among American adolescents.