Bulimia quick facts

  • Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors.
  • An average binge is said to happen around eleven times a week
  • 4 percent of college-aged women have bulimia.
  • The word bulimia derives from the Latin (būlīmia), which originally comes from the Greek βουλιμία (boulīmia; ravenous hunger), a compound of βους (bous), ox + λιμός (līmos), hunger.
  • 95 percent to 98 percent of bulimics tend to be women.
  • Bulimia nervosa can be difficult to detect, compared to anorexia nervosa, because bulimics tend to be of average or slightly above or below average weight.
  • Bulimia affects approximately 1 to 3% of adolescents in the U.S., with the illness usually beginning in late adolescence or early adult life.
  • There are higher rates of eating disorders in groups involved in activities which idealize a slim physique, such as dance, gymnastics, modeling, cheerleading, running, acting, rowing and figure skating.
  • Only an estimated 5 to 15% of people with bulimia nervosa are male.
    Bulimia nervosa is more prevalent among Caucasians.
  • Girls and women from all ethnic and racial groups may suffer from bulimia nervosa.