DSM‐5 eating disorders among adolescents and young adults in Finland: A public health concern. Issue 5 (30th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silén, Yasmina; Sipilä, Pyry N.; Raevuori, Anu; Mustelin, Linda; Marttunen, Mauri; Kaprio, Jaakko; Keski‐Rahkonen, Anna
• Is Part Of: International journal of eating disorders. Volume 53:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 790
• Page End: 801
• Publication Date: 2020-01-30
• Subjects: classification -- diagnosis -- eating disorders -- epidemiology -- incidence -- prevalence; Appetite disorders -- Periodicals; Ingestion disorders -- Periodicals; Eating disorders -- Periodicals; 616.8526
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.23236
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0276-3478

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: We aimed to assess the lifetime prevalence, 10‐year incidence, and peak periods of onset for eating disorders as defined by the Fifth Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐5) among adolescents and young adults born in the 1980s in Finland. Method: Virtually all Finnish twins born in 1983–1987 ( n = 5, 600) were followed prospectively from the age of 12 years. A subsample of participants ( n = 1, 347) was interviewed using a semi‐structured diagnostic interview in their early twenties. Results: The prevalence of lifetime DSM‐5 eating disorders was 17.9% for females and 2.4% for males (pooled across genders, 10.5%). The estimated lifetime prevalences for females and males, respectively, were 6.2 and 0.3% for anorexia nervosa (AN), 2.4 and 0.16% for bulimia nervosa (BN), 0.6 and 0.3% for binge‐eating disorder (BED), 4.5 and 0.16% for other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED), and 4.5 and 1.6% for unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED). Among females, the prevalence of OSFED subcategories was as follows: atypical AN 2.1%, purging disorder 1.3%, BED of low frequency/limited duration 0.7%, and BN of low frequency/limited duration 0.4%. The 10‐year incidence rate of eating disorders was 1, 700 per 100, 000 person‐years among females (peak age of onset 16–19 years) and 220 per 100, 000 person‐years among males. Discussion: Eating disorders are a common public health concern among youth and young adults, affecting one in six females and one in 40 males. Adequate screening efforts, prevention, and interventions are urgently needed.