Today, eating disorders affect almost 5 percent of all young women in the United States, and as many as 15 percent of young women have unhealthy attitudes and behaviors about food. Most cases of eating disorders occur in women, with many reporting that their disorders started before they were 20 years old. One study recently found that 70 percent of sixth-grade girls surveyed said that they first became concerned about their weight between the ages of 9 and 11. That same study found that a lot of girls (30 to 55 percent) started dieting when they were in middle school.

In a study of children aged 8 to 10, approximately half the girls and one-third of the boys were unhappy with their size.

In a study of girls aged 9 to 15, slightly more than half reported exercising to lose weight, slightly less than half reported eating less to lose weight, and approximately 1 out of 20 reported using diet pills or laxatives to lose weight.

Research has shown that approximately 40 percent of fourth graders have been on a "diet" once in awhile. Research from Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (ANRED) suggests that about 1 percent of female adolescents have anorexia. That means that about 1 out of every 100 females between the ages of 10 and 20 are not eating enough and should be seeing a doctor.

Bulimia affects 1 to 3 percent of middle and high school girls.

Boys and men develop eating disorders, too. Research from ANRED suggests that 5 to 10 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia are males.