Eating disorders in young people

Eating disorders are common and serious mental illnesses. They are associated with high levels of psychological and physical morbidity, including reduced quality of life and high rates of suicidality. By the age of 20, between 10% and 13% of females will have met criteria for DSM-5 anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or other specified feeding and eating disorders and will experience significant impairment compared to young women who have never had an eating disorder. The prevalence of eating disorders increases up to age 25, especially those involving bingeing and purging behaviours. Although early detection and intervention are key to improving outcomes, eating disorders are often overlooked by health care professionals. This chapter discusses potential reasons for this. It also considers recent developments in national policies and systems related to eating disorders and outlines general principles that should guide the development of service models for young people with eating disorders.