Anorexia Statistics
Anorexia Statistics - Difficult To Come By
With only a little effort, you can come across a set of general anorexia statistics, but more detailed breakdowns are generally hard to come by. It's somewhat similar to attempting to estimate the number of potential alcoholics within a given group or population. Much of the drinking is done out of sight, with little or no obvious effects to show for it. Many who are anorexic will often either try to hide it, which can be difficult to do, especially in the advanced stages of the disease, or are simply in denial. Part of the problem of course is that everyone who is thin, or downright skinny, is not necessarily suffering from anorexia, though a percentage of them might be.
Still, there are some anorexia statistics out there, published by people who generally know what they're talking about. Anorexia is sometimes thought of being a disease affecting females only. This isn't strictly true, members of either sex can become anorexic, but the vast majority of cases are women, and the majority of those are adolescent women. It is estimated that 1% of adolescent girls in the United States are affected by anorexia. Furthermore, 10% of those affected may not be able to overcome the disease, and will possibly die from it. Not all of that 10% do of course, but the potential is there. Some die from taking their own lives instead of from starvation, others are faced with life long medical problems, and have an increased probability of succumbing to another disease, brought on in part by anorexia.
Girls in their early teens, and even preteens, seem to be especially vulnerable. It's estimated that around 50 % of high school girls diet, and a like percentage of girls in the 13 to 15 year age bracket believe that they're overweight. A majority of 13 year olds have dieted, and just under half of 9 year old girls claim to have dieted. Of course there are healthy diets, and unhealthy diets, diet fads, and on-and off diets. And the fact remains, that the number of girls affected by anorexia is 1%. Still, with all the pressure to be slim and beautiful, and to achieve a state of perfection in appearance, which of course can never be reached, the danger of a girl slipping from relying on dieting, to a state of simply not eating enough, is always present. Then, there is always the danger that “Twiggy” will become the rage again.
There does not seem to be a reliable set of anorexia statistics about men, though the percentages would certainly be much lower. Most men would prefer to bulk up rather than slim down, and few want to be seen as being skinny. Men, for the most part, have their own set of medical issues, and anorexia does not appear to be high on the list. There is some evidence that older men, elderly men to be more exact, represent the age group for men most likely to contract the disease.