The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in the community: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an underdiagnosed condition among the general population with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Symptoms of BDD include worrying excessively about a particular part of the body, repeatedly checking oneself in the mirror and attempting to cover up particular areas of the body. Aim:To determine the prevalence of BDD within the global population. To perform a further subgroup analysis to identify groups that have a higher prevalence than the general population. To assess the modalities of diagnosis BDD and its relative abundance.Methods: A systematic review using the PubMed database using the search criteria 'BDD' or 'body dysmorphic disorder' and 'prevalence' or 'incidence' from 1 January 1990 to 1 January 2020. 591studies were found, 81 of which were eligible and included in the study. Prevalence was calculated for the global population and subgroups, student, dermatology, surgical and psychiatric patients. Results:The ranges of prevalence within studies were as follows; within the general population, the prevalence of BDD ranged from 0.5-3.2% (n=8). It was 1.3-5.8% (n=8) in student cohorts, 4.9-21.1% (n=12) in general dermatology cohorts, 1.3%-5.8% (n=8) in a student population, 0-54.3% (28) in psychiatric cohorts and 2.9-57% (n=15) in cosmetic surgery cohorts. Conclusion:Studies found had low heterogenicity. However, there was variation in diagnostic criteria and methods of data collection. This study shows that a significant number of people suffer from BDD. Due to the fact that people with BDD often don't seek help, this number is likely an underestimation. This study identified subgroups of the population that have a higher prevalence of BDD. Targeted screening of individuals in high-risk cohorts, as well as further clinician education, may be of benefit to help aid early recognition and diagnosis. Additionally, structured clinical interviews for DSM (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), also known as SCID, were the most common and appear to be more effective than normal interviews at identifying individuals with BDD.

Mental health problems in elite sport: the difference in the distribution of mental distress and mental disorders among a sample of Norwegian elite athletes

“…Research shows that BDD is often an underdiagnosed condition in the general population. 40 This could also be true within the elite sport population. To address this issue, BDD should be a topic in a clinical setting with elite athletes.…”

“…Another interesting result is that 15 of the 20 athletes diagnosed with OCD and OCD-related disorders were diagnosed with BDD. Research shows that BDD is often an underdiagnosed condition in the general population 40. This could also be true within the elite sport population.…”

Validation of a German Body Dysmorphic Disorder Screening Scale and Clinical Interview according to ICD-11 and DSM-5 in the General Population

“…BDD prevalence is estimated to be between 0.5 and 3.2 [18,29]. However, these estimates include only studies from Europe and the U.S., as population-level epidemiological studies have not been conducted in other cultures [29].…”

“…BDD prevalence is estimated to be between 0.5 and 3.2 [18,29]. However, these estimates include only studies from Europe and the U.S., as population-level epidemiological studies have not been conducted in other cultures [29]. Three representative studies from Germany (N = 2129, N = 2552 and N = 2510) found prevalence rates ranging from 1.7-2.9% in adults [9,30,31].…”

Personality, self-appraisals, and body conscious emotions as predictors of symptoms of body dysmorphia and restrictive disordered eating

“…Eating disorders (Wu et al, 2020) and body dysmorphic disorder (Minty & Minty, 2021) are worldwide public health concerns. Both anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder relate to distortions in the perception of self-appearance .…”