Adherence
The population point prevalence of eating disorder behaviors (binge eating, purging, and strict dieting/fasting) significantly increased between 1995 and 2005 in South Australia, with a more than two-fold rise in these behaviors across both genders.
This research highlights a significant public health trend: disordered eating behaviors like binge eating, purging, and strict dieting are becoming more common in the general population, affecting both men and women across different age groups. It suggests that societal pressures regarding weight and shape may be driving an increase in these behaviors, which are associated with significant functional impairment ('days out of role').
There was a significant (all p,0.01) and over two-fold increase in the prevalence of binge eating, purging (self-induced vomiting and/or laxative or diuretic misuse) and strict dieting or fasting for weight or shape control among both genders.
Why this rating
Large sample size (n>3000 per survey), random sampling, and rigorous statistical adjustment, though it is observational and cannot prove causation.
Source
Eating Disorder Behaviors Are Increasing: Findings from Two Sequential Community Surveys in South Australia
Phillipa Hay et al. · PLoS ONE · 2008
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