Eating Disorders as a Public Health Priority

1 Credit.

Examines eating disorders (ED) as a significant public health concern across the life course. Explores descriptive epidemiology, patterns of risk, sociocultural and structural determinants, and global variations in ED presentation and outcomes. Discusses co-occurring mental and physical health conditions, including depression, anxiety, suicidality, neurodevelopmental differences, and metabolic/gastrointestinal disorders, and reviews how comorbidity shapes illness trajectories, treatment access, and health disparities. Presents population-level approaches to research, prevention, detection, and policy responses for addressing ED worldwide.