Many Teens Successfully Hide Eating Disorders

By Jill S. Reel, M.D. - Boys Town Pediatrics

Serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorders affect millions of Americans each year. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that 90 percent of individuals affected by eating disorders are adolescent girls or young women ages 12-25.

Two of the most serious eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia, are on the rise among girls in their teenage years. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that approximately one percent of adolescent girls will develop anorexia nervosa and an additional two to three percent will develop bulimia nervosa. It is also becoming more common in males.

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