Eating Disorders in 5-13 year olds in the UK
Researchers from University College London Institute of Child Health recently studied the onset of eating disorders in children under 13 years old. They found that about 3 in every 100,000 children are affected, and that out of the 208 cases of EDs they confirmed, 82% were girls and 18% boys.
Of those with EDs:
- 37% had Anorexia Nervosa
- 43% were diagnosed as EDNOS
- 1% had Bulimia or Binge Eating Disorder
- 19% had symptoms of disordered eating
Additionally, “44% of the children had a close family member with a history of mental illness, most commonly anxiety or depression. In addition, 20% of the children had a history of early feeding problems, particularly fussy or picky eating. According to the researchers, this supports the idea that family history of mental illness and early feeding problems may be risk factors in the development of early-onset eating disorders.”1
The researchers urged further study of children and eating disorders, with the hope that early-detection and help for this age group would improve.