Trends, prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in Iran: Global Burden of Disease Study.

OBJECTIVES

Given the significant prevalence of mental health disorders in Iran, this research seeks to examine various epidemiological aspects related to eating disorders (ED). The study specifically focuses on key metrics, including prevalence, incidence, Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Years Lived with Disability (YLDs), and Years of Life Lost (YLLs), within the Iranian population.

METHODS

This research utilized data from the GBD 2019. Indicators related to disease burden, including prevalence, incidence, DALYs, YLDs, and YLLs, were extracted from the database. Population estimates and 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated. All results are reported per 100,000 populations.

RESULTS

The age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) was documented at 254 per 100,000, with a uncertainty interval ranging from 189 to 328. The age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were calculated at 53.94 per 100,000, within an interval of 33.53 to 80.20. Likewise, the age-standardized years lived with disability (YLDs) were reported at 53.92 per 100,000, with a range extending from 33.51 to 53.92. In 2019, the Age-Standardized Prevalence Rate (ASPR) for anorexia nervosa (AN) was recorded at 68.47 per 100,000 individuals, while for bulimia nervosa (BN), it was 186.42 per 100,000. The ASPR for eating disorders (ED) overall stood at 190.4 per 100,000 for males and 320.33 per 100,000 for females in the same year.

CONCLUSION

An analysis of the impact of eating disorders (ED) in Iran from 1990 to 2019 highlights a significant increase in their associated burden. This upward trend emphasizes the urgent necessity for the development and implementation of comprehensive health policies aimed at expanding access to mental health care services. Enhancing such access is vital, as it could substantially contribute to alleviating the burden of eating disorders by fostering more effective prevention and treatment strategies.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.