The Psychology of Eating: From Healthy to Disordered Behavior

228 Eating Disorders

in 1986 in the UK and reported figures of 1.9 percent and 1.8 percent, indi-
cating no change (Cooper and Fairburn, 1983; Cooper, Charnock, and Taylor,
1987). The stability of BN over time has also been reported following a
large-scale analysis (n=6,844) of women across five 3-year time periods from
1990 to 2004 (Crowther et al., 2008). The results showed that although there
was an increase in overconcern with weight and shape, the use of diuretics,
and excessive exercise, there was no increase in the probable cases of BN.
Similar stability in BN was also reported by Zachrisson et al. (2008) in a
large sample collected at two time points (1991 and 2004) in Norway. This
may reflect different definitions and different tools of assessment. It may also
reflect differences between the UK and the US. However, it is likely that BN
was rare before the 1970s and has become much more common since this time,
but that the increase in BN seen since its description has now stabilized.

Demographic characteristics

The incidence of bulimia can also be considered in terms of the patient’s
demographic characteristics. About 90 percent of those with bulimia
nervosa are young women (Gotesdam and Agras, 1995). They tend to be

Per 100,000 population

40

30

20

10

0

1972 1979 1980 1987 1990

Year

Anorexia

Bulimia

1979: First description of BN

Figure 10.3 The changing incidence of bulimia nervosa since its description.
(Source: After G.F.M. Russell, Anorexia nervosa through time, in G. Szmukler,
C. Dare, and J. Treasure (eds.) Handbook of Eating Disorders: Theory, Treatment
and Research, New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1995, pp. 5–17.)