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Eating disorders are on the rise. GLP-1s could make things worse.

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 30/10/2026, 09:50:25 UTC.

Briefings

A new report indicates a 71% global increase in anorexia and bulimia nervosa incidence between 1990 and 2023, with 18.1 million affected in 2023. Clinical psychologist Cheri Levinson warns that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may exacerbate these conditions, noting 30% of eating disorder patients have used them. Social media and pandemic isolation are cited as contributing factors, though the exact drivers of the rise remain partially unexplained.

Key points

• Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa incidence increased by 71% globally from 1990 to 2023.
• Cheri Levinson reports seeing more severe eating disorder cases and GLP-1 drug misuse among patients.

Context

This analysis synthesizes data from a 2026 report by Ruhai Bai and colleagues, published in JAMA Psychiatry, which estimates 18.1 million people had these disorders in 2023. Levinson, a clinical psychologist with 20 years of experience, identifies GLP-1s as a potential trigger, while Cynthia Bulik highlights social media as a key environmental factor.

Limitations

Data coverage is limited to 204 countries and territories; the study did not explore reasons for the rise beyond population growth. Levinson's observations on drug misuse are anecdotal, and the study did not explore reasons for the rise beyond population growth. Levinson's observations on drug misuse are anecdotal, and the study did not explore reasons for the rise beyond population growth.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 30/10/2026, 09:50:42 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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