Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic review

Abstract Objective Eating disorders (EDs), including binge eating disorders (BEDs), bulimia nervosa (BN) and anorexia nervosa (AN), can inflict adverse effects on well-being, daily functioning, and workplace performance, presenting significant occupational, social, and economic challenges. This syst...

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Main Authors: Simrat Ubhi, Ali Bani-Fatemi, Aaron Howe, Fatima Safi, Anna Aniserowicz, Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-08-01
Series:Eating and Weight Disorders
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-025-01783-8
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author Simrat Ubhi
Ali Bani-Fatemi
Aaron Howe
Fatima Safi
Anna Aniserowicz
Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia
author_facet Simrat Ubhi
Ali Bani-Fatemi
Aaron Howe
Fatima Safi
Anna Aniserowicz
Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia
author_sort Simrat Ubhi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective Eating disorders (EDs), including binge eating disorders (BEDs), bulimia nervosa (BN) and anorexia nervosa (AN), can inflict adverse effects on well-being, daily functioning, and workplace performance, presenting significant occupational, social, and economic challenges. This systematic review seeks to explore the relationship between ED symptomatologies and their impacts on work performance. Methods This systematic review adhered to The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. Formal methods of critical appraisal for both qualitative and quantitative studies were utilized. Six studies were included. Results Participants across all studies (n = 20,367) exhibited heightened levels of presenteeism, absenteeism, work productivity impairment, and higher annual burden costs compared to their non-ED counterparts. Conclusion Impaired decision-making, cognitive inflexibility, and poor executive functioning significantly impact work participation and performance, underscoring the need for workplace policies that reduce stigma and stress, and calls for further research into how environmental factors and interventions affect ED recovery. Level of evidence: Level I, systematic review.
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publisher Springer
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series Eating and Weight Disorders
spelling doaj-art-61c88cd4f0154008b51f7973f2bc433e2025-08-20T04:01:42ZengSpringerEating and Weight Disorders1590-12622025-08-0130111110.1007/s40519-025-01783-8Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic reviewSimrat Ubhi0Ali Bani-Fatemi1Aaron Howe2Fatima Safi3Anna Aniserowicz4Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia5ReSTORE Lab, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoReSTORE Lab, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoReSTORE Lab, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoReSTORE Lab, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoReSTORE Lab, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoReSTORE Lab, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoAbstract Objective Eating disorders (EDs), including binge eating disorders (BEDs), bulimia nervosa (BN) and anorexia nervosa (AN), can inflict adverse effects on well-being, daily functioning, and workplace performance, presenting significant occupational, social, and economic challenges. This systematic review seeks to explore the relationship between ED symptomatologies and their impacts on work performance. Methods This systematic review adhered to The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. Formal methods of critical appraisal for both qualitative and quantitative studies were utilized. Six studies were included. Results Participants across all studies (n = 20,367) exhibited heightened levels of presenteeism, absenteeism, work productivity impairment, and higher annual burden costs compared to their non-ED counterparts. Conclusion Impaired decision-making, cognitive inflexibility, and poor executive functioning significantly impact work participation and performance, underscoring the need for workplace policies that reduce stigma and stress, and calls for further research into how environmental factors and interventions affect ED recovery. Level of evidence: Level I, systematic review.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-025-01783-8Anorexia nervosaBinge eating disorderBulimia nervosaEating disordersWork performance
spellingShingle Simrat Ubhi
Ali Bani-Fatemi
Aaron Howe
Fatima Safi
Anna Aniserowicz
Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia
Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic review
Eating and Weight Disorders
Anorexia nervosa
Binge eating disorder
Bulimia nervosa
Eating disorders
Work performance
title Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic review
title_full Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic review
title_fullStr Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic review
title_short Impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance: a systematic review
title_sort impact of eating disorders on paid or unpaid work participation and performance a systematic review
topic Anorexia nervosa
Binge eating disorder
Bulimia nervosa
Eating disorders
Work performance
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-025-01783-8
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