Final answer:
The estimated lifetime prevalence rate for bulimia nervosa in the U.S. is around 1% for women and less than 0.5% for men. This simplifies to about 10,000 women and less than 5,000 men per million, yet actual figures can vary. The highest risk group for bulimia is young adult White females, influenced by cultural and genetic factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lifetime prevalence rate for bulimia nervosa is estimated at around 1% for women and less than 0.5% for men. Translating these percentages into a per million basis, there would be approximately 10,000 per million women and less than 5,000 per million men diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. It's crucial to understand that these figures represent a simplified estimate and actual numbers can vary based on factors such as reporting rates and diagnostic criteria. Additionally, the prevalence of bulimia and other eating disorders might change over time and also differ across various populations and demographic groups.
Though bulimia is less prevalent than obesity rates, it is a serious condition with life-threatening health consequences. Females, especially White females from Western societies between the ages of 15 and 19, tend to be the most at-risk population for bulimia, largely due to cultural pressures and the portrayal of a thin ideal in media. However, eating disorders like bulimia also have genetic predispositions, making them complex diseases influenced by both social factors and biological factors.