DSM-5 eating disorder prevalence, gender differences, and mental health associations in United States military veterans

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about prevalence estimates of new and revised DSM-5 eating disorders diagnoses in general, and especially among high-risk, underserved and diverse eating disorder populations. The aim of the current study was to determine prevalence, gender differences and correlates of DSM-5 eating disorders in veterans. Method: Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans (N = 1,121, 51.2% women) completed the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale-5 and validated measures of eating pathology and mental health between July 2014 and September 2019. Results: Overall more women than men (32.8% vs. 18.8%, p