Distribution of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents Using the Proposed DSM-5 Criteria for Feeding and Eating Disorders

Purpose: To determine the distribution of eating disorders (ED) in children and adolescents comparing the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) to the proposed fifth edition DSM criteria.

Methods: A total of 215 consecutive patients (15.4 ± 3.3 years) presenting for initial ED evaluation to adolescent medicine physicians from six institutions were assigned ED diagnoses using current DSM-IV criteria as well as proposed DSM-5 criteria.

Results: Diagnoses of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa increased using the proposed DSM-5 criteria (from 30.0% to 40.0% and from 7.3% to 11.8%, p < .001). Approximately 14% of patients received the presumptive DSM-5 diagnosis of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. Cases of ED not otherwise specified decreased from 62.3% to 32.6% (p < .001).

Conclusions: Proposed DSM-5 criteria substantially decreased the frequency of ED not otherwise specified diagnoses and increased the number of cases of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in a population of young patients presenting for ED treatment. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder appears to be a significant diagnosis.