Incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people in the UK and Ireland: a national surveillance study

Hristina Petkova; Mima Simic; Dasha Nicholls; Tamsin Ford; A. Matthew Prina; Ruth Stuart; Nuala Livingstone; Grace Kelly; Geraldine MacDonald; Ivan Eisler; Simon Gowers; Barbara M. Barrett; Sarah Byford

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027339

Incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people in the UK and Ireland: a national surveillance study

Hristina Petkova, Mima Simic, Dasha Nicholls, Tamsin Ford, A. Matthew Prina, Ruth Stuart, Nuala Livingstone, Grace Kelly, Geraldine MacDonald, Ivan Eisler, Simon Gowers, Barbara M. Barrett, Sarah Byford^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School for Policy Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the incidence of DSM5 anorexia nervosa in young people in contact with child and adolescent mental health services in the UK and Ireland.

DESIGN: Observational, surveillance study, using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Surveillance System, involving monthly reporting by child and adolescent psychiatrists between 1st February 2015 and 30th September 2015.

SETTING: The study was based in the UK and Ireland.

PARTICIPANTS: Clinician-reported data on young people aged 8-17 in contact with child and adolescent mental health services for a first episode of anorexia nervosa.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual incidence rates (IRs) estimated as confirmed new cases per 100 000 population at risk.

RESULTS: 305 incident cases of anorexia nervosa were reported over the 8-month surveillance period and assessed as eligible for inclusion. The majority were young women (91%), from England (70%) and of white ethnicity (92%). Mean age was 14.6 years (±1.66) and mean percentage of median expected body mass index for age and sex was 83.23% (±10.99%). The overall IR, adjusted for missing data, was estimated to be 13.68 per 100 000 population (95% CI 12.88 to 14.52), with rates of 25.66 (95% CI 24.09 to 27.30) for young women and 2.28 (95% CI 1.84 to 2.79) for young men. Incidence increased steadily with age, peaking at 15 (57.77, 95% CI 50.41 to 65.90) for young women and 16 (5.14, 95% CI 3.20 to 7.83) for young men. Comparison with earlier estimates suggests IRs for children aged 12 and under have increased over the last 10 years.

CONCLUSION: These results provide new estimates of the incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people. Service providers and commissioners should consider evidence to suggest an increase in incidence in younger children.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN12676087.

Original language	English
Article number	e027339
Number of pages	9
Journal	BMJ Open
Volume	9
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027339
Publication status	Published - 22 Oct 2019

Research Groups and Themes

SPS Centre for Research in Health and Social Care

Keywords

anorexia nervosa
child & adolescent psychiatry
eating disorders
epidemiology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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@article{3688386197514d48af6f6a434324dca3,

title = "Incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people in the UK and Ireland: a national surveillance study",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the incidence of DSM5 anorexia nervosa in young people in contact with child and adolescent mental health services in the UK and Ireland.DESIGN: Observational, surveillance study, using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Surveillance System, involving monthly reporting by child and adolescent psychiatrists between 1st February 2015 and 30th September 2015.SETTING: The study was based in the UK and Ireland.PARTICIPANTS: Clinician-reported data on young people aged 8-17 in contact with child and adolescent mental health services for a first episode of anorexia nervosa.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual incidence rates (IRs) estimated as confirmed new cases per 100 000 population at risk.RESULTS: 305 incident cases of anorexia nervosa were reported over the 8-month surveillance period and assessed as eligible for inclusion. The majority were young women (91%), from England (70%) and of white ethnicity (92%). Mean age was 14.6 years (±1.66) and mean percentage of median expected body mass index for age and sex was 83.23% (±10.99%). The overall IR, adjusted for missing data, was estimated to be 13.68 per 100 000 population (95% CI 12.88 to 14.52), with rates of 25.66 (95% CI 24.09 to 27.30) for young women and 2.28 (95% CI 1.84 to 2.79) for young men. Incidence increased steadily with age, peaking at 15 (57.77, 95% CI 50.41 to 65.90) for young women and 16 (5.14, 95% CI 3.20 to 7.83) for young men. Comparison with earlier estimates suggests IRs for children aged 12 and under have increased over the last 10 years.CONCLUSION: These results provide new estimates of the incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people. Service providers and commissioners should consider evidence to suggest an increase in incidence in younger children.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN12676087.",

keywords = "anorexia nervosa, child & adolescent psychiatry, eating disorders, epidemiology",

author = "Hristina Petkova and Mima Simic and Dasha Nicholls and Tamsin Ford and Prina, {A. Matthew} and Ruth Stuart and Nuala Livingstone and Grace Kelly and Geraldine MacDonald and Ivan Eisler and Simon Gowers and Barrett, {Barbara M.} and Sarah Byford",

year = "2019",

month = oct,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027339",

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T1 - Incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people in the UK and Ireland

T2 - a national surveillance study

AU - Petkova, Hristina

AU - Simic, Mima

AU - Nicholls, Dasha

AU - Ford, Tamsin

AU - Prina, A. Matthew

AU - Stuart, Ruth

AU - Livingstone, Nuala

AU - Kelly, Grace

AU - MacDonald, Geraldine

AU - Eisler, Ivan

AU - Gowers, Simon

AU - Barrett, Barbara M.

AU - Byford, Sarah

PY - 2019/10/22

Y1 - 2019/10/22

N2 - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the incidence of DSM5 anorexia nervosa in young people in contact with child and adolescent mental health services in the UK and Ireland.DESIGN: Observational, surveillance study, using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Surveillance System, involving monthly reporting by child and adolescent psychiatrists between 1st February 2015 and 30th September 2015.SETTING: The study was based in the UK and Ireland.PARTICIPANTS: Clinician-reported data on young people aged 8-17 in contact with child and adolescent mental health services for a first episode of anorexia nervosa.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual incidence rates (IRs) estimated as confirmed new cases per 100 000 population at risk.RESULTS: 305 incident cases of anorexia nervosa were reported over the 8-month surveillance period and assessed as eligible for inclusion. The majority were young women (91%), from England (70%) and of white ethnicity (92%). Mean age was 14.6 years (±1.66) and mean percentage of median expected body mass index for age and sex was 83.23% (±10.99%). The overall IR, adjusted for missing data, was estimated to be 13.68 per 100 000 population (95% CI 12.88 to 14.52), with rates of 25.66 (95% CI 24.09 to 27.30) for young women and 2.28 (95% CI 1.84 to 2.79) for young men. Incidence increased steadily with age, peaking at 15 (57.77, 95% CI 50.41 to 65.90) for young women and 16 (5.14, 95% CI 3.20 to 7.83) for young men. Comparison with earlier estimates suggests IRs for children aged 12 and under have increased over the last 10 years.CONCLUSION: These results provide new estimates of the incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people. Service providers and commissioners should consider evidence to suggest an increase in incidence in younger children.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN12676087.

AB - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the incidence of DSM5 anorexia nervosa in young people in contact with child and adolescent mental health services in the UK and Ireland.DESIGN: Observational, surveillance study, using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Surveillance System, involving monthly reporting by child and adolescent psychiatrists between 1st February 2015 and 30th September 2015.SETTING: The study was based in the UK and Ireland.PARTICIPANTS: Clinician-reported data on young people aged 8-17 in contact with child and adolescent mental health services for a first episode of anorexia nervosa.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual incidence rates (IRs) estimated as confirmed new cases per 100 000 population at risk.RESULTS: 305 incident cases of anorexia nervosa were reported over the 8-month surveillance period and assessed as eligible for inclusion. The majority were young women (91%), from England (70%) and of white ethnicity (92%). Mean age was 14.6 years (±1.66) and mean percentage of median expected body mass index for age and sex was 83.23% (±10.99%). The overall IR, adjusted for missing data, was estimated to be 13.68 per 100 000 population (95% CI 12.88 to 14.52), with rates of 25.66 (95% CI 24.09 to 27.30) for young women and 2.28 (95% CI 1.84 to 2.79) for young men. Incidence increased steadily with age, peaking at 15 (57.77, 95% CI 50.41 to 65.90) for young women and 16 (5.14, 95% CI 3.20 to 7.83) for young men. Comparison with earlier estimates suggests IRs for children aged 12 and under have increased over the last 10 years.CONCLUSION: These results provide new estimates of the incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people. Service providers and commissioners should consider evidence to suggest an increase in incidence in younger children.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN12676087.

KW - anorexia nervosa

KW - child & adolescent psychiatry

KW - eating disorders

KW - epidemiology

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U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027339

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027339

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 31640991

SN - 2044-6055

VL - 9

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

IS - 10

M1 - e027339

ER -

Incidence of anorexia nervosa in young people in the UK and Ireland: a national surveillance study

Abstract

Research Groups and Themes

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UN SDGs

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