Research on the epidemiology of bulimia nervosa has focused largely on
the prevalence of the disorder. As methods have improved, consensus has
increased regarding the prevalence rate among adolescent and young adult
women--about 1%. However, the accuracy of this figure and its clinical
significance must be questioned. In this synthesis of the epidemiological
work to date, the authors review the literature from a clinical and
research perspective. They recommend a shift in emphasis away from studies
of the distribution of the disorder toward studies of the determinants of
the whole spectrum of the disturbance that exists in the community.Abstract Teaser