CDC survey finds 40% of high school students binge ate recently

Approximately 40% of high school students reported binge eating within the past month, according to a new biennial government survey. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, marking the first time the agency has included questions about binge eating. This release provides the first data on disordered eating from this specific survey instrument in ten years.

The study involved nearly 7,000 students. Within that group, 17% reported engaging in binge eating during the three days immediately preceding the survey. Ariel Beccia, a researcher in the adolescent and children’s medicine division at Boston Children’s Hospital, described the prevalence rates as extremely alarming. The findings highlight the widespread nature of this form of disordered eating among young people in the United States.