Estimated prevalence of eating disorders in Malaysia based on a diagnostic screen

Abstract

Eating disorders (EDs) are debilitating health conditions and common across cultures. Recent reports suggest that about 14.0% of university students in Malaysia are at risk for developing an ED, and that prevalence may differ by ethnicity and gender. However, less is known about the prevalence of EDs in nonuniversity populations. Objective The current study seeks to (1) estimate the prevalence of EDs and ED risk status among adults in Malaysia using an established diagnostic screen; (2) examine gender and ethnic differences between ED diagnostic/risk status groups; and (3) characterize the clinical profile of individuals who screen positive for an ED. Method We administered the Stanford‐Washington University Eating Disorder Screen, an online ED screening tool, to adults in Malaysia in September 2020. Results ED risk/diagnostic categories were assigned to 818 participants (ages 18–73 years) of which, 0.8% screened positive for anorexia nervosa, 1.4% for bulimia nervosa, 0.1% for binge‐ED, 51.4% for other specified feeding or ED, and 4.8% for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. There was gender parity in the high risk and the overall ED categories. The point prevalence of positive eating pathology screening among Malays was significantly higher than Chinese but no different from Indians. Discussion This is the first study to estimate the prevalence of EDs using a diagnostic screen in a population‐based sample of Malaysians. It is concerning that over 50% of Malaysians reported symptoms of EDs. This study highlights the need to invest more resources in understanding and managing eating pathology in Malaysia. Public Significance This study estimates the prevalence of EDs among adults in Malaysia using an online EDs screen. Over 50% of Malaysians report symptoms of EDs. The study highlights the need for more resources and funding to address this important public health issue through surveillance, prevention, and treatment of EDs in Malaysia.

Worldwide prevalence of DSM-5 eating disorders among young people

“…Their rise is probably connected with industrialization and urbanization. In Malaysia, over 50% of participants screened positive for an eating disorder or were identified as being at risk for developing an eating disorder [39 ▪ ]. In Singapore, 43% of participants screened positive for eating disorders, and one-fifth were identified as at high risk of developing an eating disorder [40 ▪ ].…”

What do we know about the epidemiology of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder in children and adolescents? A systematic review of the literature

“…Whilst the vast majority of research on the epidemiology of ARFID has focussed on child and adolescent populations, a number of studies with adult samples have been published in recent years. Estimates of the prevalence of ARFID using population-based surveys or screening tools ranged from 0.3% to 4.8% in general adult populations across different countries from Oceania, North America, South-East Asia, or Europe (Fitzsimmons-Craft, Balantekin, Graham, Smolar, Park, Mysko, Funk, Taylor, Wilfley;Chua et al, 2021;Hilbert et al, 2021;Chua et al, 2022;Hay et al, 2017). In clinical populations, a retrospective chart review of Japanese women with feeding and eating disorders aged 15-40 years revealed that 11% of the sample met DSM-5 criteria for ARFID (Nakai et al, 2017).…”

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in New Zealand and Australia: a scoping review

“…Although limited, the three month prevalence estimates of ARFID in an adult Australian population (0.3%) and prevalence of severe fussy eating in a NZ child birth cohort (1.9%) are comparable to the wide range of international prevalence estimates of ARFID in non-clinical populations (0.5–1.3% in children [ 3 , 62 ], and 4.1–4.8% in adults [ 10 , 63 ]).…”