One in Seven Adults in Flanders Reports Recent Binge Eating or Purging

Nearly one in five adults in the Belgian region of Flanders has experienced binge eating or purging at some point in their life, and one in seven reported such behaviors within the past year, according to a large survey of the general population published in the Journal of Eating Disorders. The study, based on self-report web surveys completed by 6,401 respondents across the Flemish and Brussels regions of Belgium, is among the first of its kind to examine these behaviors in a large, representative sample of the general public rather than only among people already in treatment.

The survey, conducted as part of the World Mental Health initiative of the World Health Organization, screened respondents for lifetime and 12-month binge eating and purging behaviors, mental health disorders, treatment access, and barriers to treatment. Binge eating refers to eating very large amounts of food in a short time while feeling out of control, while purging involves making oneself vomit or using laxatives or other means to avoid gaining weight. Overall, 15.0 percent of respondents reported these behaviors in the previous twelve months, and 17.9 percent reported them at some point in their lifetime. Among adults under 25 years of age, the lifetime figure rose to roughly one in three.

The researchers also compared outcomes across population subgroups, including separate groups reporting binge eating only, purging only, or a combination of both behaviors, as well as respondents with other mental health problems. Lifetime access to any treatment for emotional or substance use problems was reported by 36.9 percent of respondents, and 12-month access by 19 percent. Despite the high prevalence of these behaviors, two out of three respondents reporting them had never received any kind of mental health treatment, pointing to a substantial gap between the scope of the problem and the support people actually receive.

The most common barriers to treatment were a preference to handle problems alone, the perceived cost of treatment, and uncertainty about where to find help. Barriers differed across the behavioral subgroups, and the study found a positive, dose-response association between the number of binge eating and purging symptoms and barriers-to-treatment scores, meaning that respondents with more symptoms reported more obstacles to seeking care. People with these behaviors also reported feeling more embarrassed and more worried about what others would think compared with people who had other mental health difficulties.

The authors conclude that the prevalence of binge eating and purging behaviors is high in the general population of Flanders and that there is an unmet mental health treatment need in this group. They argue that clinicians and researchers need to identify effective ways to overcome treatment barriers, and that the findings may require specific strategies from policy makers to close the treatment gap. Because the data are self-reported and cross-sectional, the results describe associations and reported experiences at a single point in time rather than causal effects, and the survey covers only the Flemish and Brussels regions of Belgium. Even so, the scale of the findings suggests that these behaviors are far more widespread than commonly assumed, and the study’s authors highlight an urgent need for better awareness, reduced stigma, and clearer pathways to support for people experiencing them.

Subject of Research: Prevalence of binge eating and purging behaviors and barriers to mental health treatment in the general adult population of Flanders, Belgium.

Article Title: Binge eating and purging behaviors in the general population of Flanders: prevalence rates and help-seeking behaviors

Article References: Serra, R., Claes, L., Vanderlinden, J., Tarsitani, L., Barbui, C., Portzky, G., Jeannin, R., & Bruffaerts, R. (2026). Binge eating and purging behaviors in the general population of Flanders: prevalence rates and help-seeking behaviors. Journal of Eating Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-026-01801-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40337-026-01801-9

Keywords: binge eating, purging, eating disorders, Flanders, Belgium, prevalence, help-seeking, treatment barriers, mental health, population survey, stigma, World Mental Health initiative