- Bulimia is an eating disorder characterised by repeated episodes of overeating and a preoccupation with the control of body weight. Studies have shown that up to 1 per cent of the population is suffering from bulimia nervosa at any one time, and this may well be an underestimate. Other studies show that up to 7 per cent of young women consulting their GP have the symptoms of bulimia nervosa.www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/bulimianervosa.htm