Abstract
The purpose of this study is to reveal the role of the sociocultural background played in eating disorders (EDs) in Japan based on the clinical experience of EDs. Three studies were conducted. The incidence of EDs in Kyoto University Hospital was studied from 1965 to the present time. A modified two-stage survey of EDs was carried out among the students aged 1224 in Kyoto prefecture in 1982, 1992 and 2002. The risk factors for EDs were studied. Detailed description of anorexia nervosa (AN) in Japan was first reported around 1960. The number of patients with AN has been increasing since 1970. The prevalence of bulimia nervosa (BN) has been increasing since 1980, and the recent trend shows an increase in the prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED). The overview of EDs in Japan indicated at the 1^<st> stage (1960-1980) the focus was on a participation of the family in classical AN, at 2^<nd> stage (1980-2000) on weight and diet pressure in BN and the 3^<rd> stage (2000-present time) on the awareness of female role and stress in BED.
