An Overview of Eating Disorders in Iran: Frequency and Some Related Factors

Background and Aim: Eating disorders are one of the most important issues in mental health that leading to many serious psychic and somatic problems and even death. These disorders were known for years as a disease of the western societies. Recent studies showed that they are also spreading in eastern countries. Limited studies are in Iran. The purpose of this study is to review the Iranian researches. The results of this study in Iran as a developing Asian country will helpful for other societies, especially similar Asian communities. Methods: The authors searched PubMed, ProQuest, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and SID and Magiran (In Persian) to find the relevant articles. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist was used to assess the quality of research. Results: Twenty- nine studies reported the prevalence or occurrence of eating disorders among the Iranian population. The samples consisted of 40 to 30,532 subjects. Forty papers examined eating disorders among females. Twenty-seven studies were in both genders, and only one was in males. Most eating disorders have significantly varied depending on the different studies and tools used. Most of these articles studied young people. This study breaks the determinants into three parts: demographic, psychosocial, and miscellaneous factors. The incidence of eating disorders in Iran is on the rise. Conclusions: It should be considered a significant health problem. Moreover, despite a clear cultural difference, eating disorders' factors were similar to those in western communities. This matter may be an essential health issue. In addition, despite noticeable cultural differences, the factors affecting eating disorders were similar to those of western communities.