Prevalence of Bulimia Nervosa: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose: The study examines the prevalence of Bulimia nervosa in students at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia.Bulimia nervosaisan eating disorder characterized by consumption of large amounts of food by an individual followed by an attempt such as self-induced vomiting, long periods of exercising, and diuretics to avoid gaining weight. Patients and Method: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey among King Abdulaziz University students in Saudi Arabia. A sample of 499 comprising 357 females and 142 males was randomly selectedparticipants—the age of the sample population aged between 20 to over 55 years. The participants filled questionnaires about eating behavior, smoking, body image, and psychiatrist disorders. The height and weight of the sample population were taken, and their BMI was established. Results: Based on our statistics, the prevalence of bulimia nervosa among the male was 0.3%, and that of the female was 1.4%. Extra observation revealed that those with mild or severe disorders were equally susceptible to depression and mood swing problems. The prevalence of Bulimia nervosa based on ages showed 80/50000 at 10 -30 years and 145/50000 at 31 – 80 years. The clinically prescribed healing period was idealized to be one year. Conclusion:The results show a comparatively high rate of BN among young people aged between 20 and 25, as reflected among King Abdulaziz University students in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, there is a need to increase public awareness about BN and other eating disorders in Saudi Arabia.