{
  "id": 17983951,
  "title": "Anorexia and bulimia cases projected to reach nearly 22 million by 2050",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/anorexia-and-bulimia-cases-projected-to-reach-nearly-22-million-by",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-03T16:00:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-anorexia-bulimia-cases-million.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Approximately 18.1 million individuals globally suffered from anorexia or bulimia in 2023, representing a 71% increase since 1990, with projections indicating this number could reach nearly 22 million by 2050. These disorders predominantly affected women, constituting 69% of cases, and were most prevalent in high-income regions such as Australasia and Western Europe. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are mental health conditions stemming from complex genetic and environmental factors, with higher prevalence and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) among young adults and adolescents. Despite representing a significant global burden with an estimated 3.83 million years of healthy life lost in 2023, these disorders often remain undetected and untreated, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and among males. The study emphasizes the urgency of early detection, consistent monitoring, and integrated treatment approaches for anorexia and bulimia within mental health care systems worldwide.",
  "summary": "Social media trending hashtags such as skinny girl dinner and thinspiration are promoting restrictive eating and a lifestyle centered on staying thin to millions of people around the world. This hunger for thinness is also finding its way into the misuse of GLP-1 drugs (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists), a medical breakthrough that has transformed the treatment of type 2 diabetes and…",
  "key_points": [
    "18.1 million people globally had anorexia or bulimia in 2023",
    "Number projected to reach nearly 22 million by 2050",
    "Disorders mostly affected women in high-income regions"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}