About half of them also have bulimia symptoms. The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 7,000 bulimia cases and 7,000 anorexia cases were diagnosed in 1993, the latest year for which statistics are available. Studies indicate that by their first year of college, 4.5 to 18 percent of women and 0.4 percent of men have a history of bulimia and that as many as 1 in 100 females between the ages of 12 and 18 have anorexia. Males account for only 5 to 10 percent of bulimia and anorexia cases. While people of all races develop the disorders, the vast majority of those diagnosed are white.
Most people find it difficult to stop their bulimic or anorectic behavior without professional help.
If untreated, the disorders may become chronic and lead to severe health problems, even death. The National Center for Health Statistics reports 62 deaths from anorexia and two deaths from bulimia in 1992, the latest year for which it has figures. As to the causes of bulimia and anorexia, there are many theories. Another is that defects in key chemical messengers in the brain may contribute to the disorders' development or persistence. Once people begin bingeing and purging, usually in conjunction with a diet, the cycle easily gets out of control.