Authors

Ana Pilar Sánchez López

Position

Enfermera y Máster en Salud Pública

Contact address

Ana Pilar Sánchez López. C/ María Montessori, 2, 3º D. 50018 Zaragoza.

Contact email: nita1989_6@hotmail.com

Abstract

Objective: to confirm if there are differences in the prevalence of eating behaviour disorders in six different countries in Europe.
Method: a bibliographic review in PubMed, the Elsevier platform and Scielo, of the articles published during the last 10 years on the prevalence of eating behaviour disorders (EBD) among the European population from 12-year-old (the age where EBDs will usually start) to 30-year-old subjects in six European countries (Finland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal and France).
Results: forty-five (45) articles were selected from the six European countries included in the review; of these, 36 were finally analyzed, given that the rest were reviews. Very diverse prevalences were obtained between the different age-groups; the common characteristic found in all of them was that EBDs are more frequent in women than in men in all countries and age groups; and within EBDS, the group with the highest figures was EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified).
Conclusions: major differences were evident in the prevalence of EBDs between the countries assessed; but the prevalence of each one of the disorders, as well as of the set of disorders, is greater in women than in men.

Keywords:

anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; eating behaviour disorders; prevalence; Europe; review; review

Versión en Español

Título:

Prevalencia de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria en seis países europeos