The number of young women in Germany requiring hospital treatment for eating disorders is on the rise. Over the past two decades, cases involving adolescents aged 10 to 17 have doubled, growing from roughly 2,800 in 2004 to almost 6,000 in 2024, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday. Furthermore, in 2024, girls in this age group constituted nearly half (48.1 percent) of all patients treated for eating disorders, compared to just one quarter (24.9 percent) in 2004.
Overall, the total number of people treated for eating disorders has risen slightly to 12,400 cases in 2024. This represents a 2.2 percent increase compared to 2023 (12,100 cases) and an 8.0 percent increase compared to 2004 (11,500 cases). Anorexia nervosa was the most frequently diagnosed condition in 2024, accounting for 9,000 treatment cases, while bulimia accounted for 1,300 cases.
Across all age groups, female patients are more frequently hospitalized than male patients for eating disorders. In 2024, 11,500 individuals-or 92.9 percent of those diagnosed-were women. In 2004, 10,100 patients presented with this diagnosis, making up 88.5 percent of the total.
