[Eating disorders in women: a representative study].

The authors examined the prevalence rates of binge-eating behavior, binge-eating disorder (BED), and bulimia nervosa in a female representative random sample in Tyrol. The data were collected ba telephone. Of the 1,000 women, 3 (0.3%) met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa, 15 (1.5%) for bulimia nervosa, and 33 (3.3%) for binge-eating disorder. While bulimics were young and found in all weight groups, women with BED were mostly overweight or obese and found in all age groups. The findings show that restrained eating, dieting, and/or excessive exercise are risk factors for developing eating disorders.