Abstract

Eating disorders (EDs) and disordered eating behaviours (DEBs) represent serious public health concerns globally, significantly impacting physical health, psychological well-being, and social functioning, particularly among adolescents and young adults. This systematic review of the available literature focused on the prevalence of EDs and DEBs in a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia. A comprehensive search was conducted of four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO), resulting in 21 studies published between 2018 and 2024. The results indicated wide variability in prevalence, between 2.9% and 55.9%. This variability in prevalence seems best explained by the differing methodology employed by the various authors, especially the use of various types of screening tools (i.e., EAT-26) versus diagnostic interviews (i.e., DSM-5). People at high risk included those in urban areas, particularly in the Eastern and Western regions of Saudi Arabia, university students, especially in health-related sciences, and females. Common behaviours included binge and emotional eating, and insulin omission in some cases with Type 1 diabetes. The most common factors were psychological distress (depression, anxiety), socio-culturally driven westernization and social media, and family (parent) influences. The review revealed that EDs and DEBs presented a clear, major, and largely unacknowledged issue among the youth of Saudi Arabia, pointing to the culturally appropriate public health initiatives that highlighted specific prevention programs for schools and universities, and improved clinical detection pathways.

Key words: Eating Disorders, disordered eating, adolescents, young adults, Saudi Arabia, prevalence, systematic review, risk factors