Prevalence of Binge Eating 40.5 Percent in U.S. High School Students

THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of binge eating at least one day in the past 30 days is 40.5 percent in U.S. high school students, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Ryan Saelee, Ph.D., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues described the national prevalence estimates of binge eating overall and by demographic characteristics among 6,898 U.S. high school students with binge eating information available from the nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey.The researchers found that 40.5 percent of U.S. high school students reported binge eating at least one day in the past 30 days during 2025, and 17.2 percent reported three or more days of binge eating. The prevalence of binge eating on three or more days was higher for female than male students (18.6 versus 15.9 percent) and for Hispanic, multiracial, and Black versus White and Middle Eastern or North African students (20.5, 19.6, and 18.7 versus 14.6 and 9.9 percent, respectively). The prevalence of binge eating three or more days was higher for students who reported using social media hourly or more, having poor mental health, having persistent sadness or hopelessness, or having seriously considered attempting suicide. These associations were seen in both female and male students."Looking at the study, it did seem much higher than I think what many of us are even thinking could be the number," Aateqa Ismail, M.D., from the Eating Disorder Program at Northwell Cohen Children's Medical Center, said in a statement.Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Prevalence of Binge Eating 40.5 Percent in U.S. High School Students

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