Percentage Of AB's in the general population???

[littlemoosey]

At one time, I read an estimate of the percentage of AB's, I want to say it was 1 in a 1000 or 1 in a 100. Does anybody know? I realize that this is only an estimate as we really have not been counted for obvious reasons... just wondering.

 

[LittleMaddox]

I think that's way too high and there's no accurate way to estimate it. There's no formal way to evaluate AB as a specified set of behaviours and neither is there a way to accurately sample a large enough population to get accurate data. I don't even think you can ballpark that number but if I had to guess in terms of orders of magnitude I'd say 1 in 10 000 but more likely closer to 1 in 100 000. This would be speaking in numbers referencing particularly Western cultures

 

[Poofybutt]

I too have heard that estimate, it's one of the earliest published and it is quoted on Understanding Infantilism, it's also a statistic that has endured. I don't think anyone knows really, how could they, some AB/DLs would never be open enough about this to consent to a poll or demographic research. Personally, I think statistics are always gonna be a tad wishy-washy, you can only poll so much of a given population/group. So as with most statistics or estimates, I'd say the 1 in 1,000 figure is likely off in some way

I'm inclined to agree with Topex, 1 in 10,000 seems much more likely, but it might be even rarer. Whether it's 1 in 1,000, 1 in 10,000 or 1 in 100,000 there's no easy way to tell when you consider that some AB/DLs will remain hidden and the nature of speculative statistics

 

[bigtoddler96]

I would guess that people having interest in diapers are rare thoughout the world since most people were taught that diapers are for babies/toddlers, wearing diapers post-toddlerhood would be crazy/weird, etc. Which is why this would make diaperism a rare interest.

 

[Squirmyboy]

I'm of the (Freudian) mind that everyone has regressive interests, even simply the way we refer to lovers in English as "baby" or Papi and Mami in Spanish. For some it is just more expressed than in others. Mainstream bdsm and urophilia are examples - but even things such as interest in breasts is essentially infantile, yet seen as normal. Last I checked breasts had nothing to do with "adult" genital sexuality. So I think of ABDL as one end of the spectrum where we have much of our libidinal energy developmentally delayed, you can say...but it's a matter of degree and not kind. That said I recall calculating the percentage based on page views and fetlife members and came up with .16% of the general population. Not 16%...but that may be way off. Google data scientist Seth Stevens Davidowitz presented some big data suggesting childhood themes in sexuality are much much more widespread than we've ever previously thought. I highly recommend his recent book Everybody Lies.

 

[Drifter]

I'm of the (Freudian) mind that everyone has regressive interests...

... even things such as interest in breasts is essentially infantile, yet seen as normal. Last I checked breasts had nothing to do with "adult" genital sexuality.

Google data scientist Seth Stevens Davidowitz presented some big data suggesting childhood themes in sexuality are much much more widespread than we've ever previously thought.

The theory I accept effectively accounts for these things. Various things in our early childhood can become sexual themes later in life. It sounds Freudian but is actually more biology than Freudian psychology.

 

[BobaFettish]

I'm of the (Freudian) mind that everyone has regressive interests, even simply the way we refer to lovers in English as "baby" or Papi and Mami in Spanish. For some it is just more expressed than in others. Mainstream bdsm and urophilia are examples - but even things such as interest in breasts is essentially infantile, yet seen as normal. Last I checked breasts had nothing to do with "adult" genital sexuality. So I think of ABDL as one end of the spectrum where we have much of our libidinal energy developmentally delayed, you can say...but it's a matter of degree and not kind. That said I recall calculating the percentage based on page views and fetlife members and came up with .16% of the general population. Not 16%...but that may be way off. Google data scientist Seth Stevens Davidowitz presented some big data suggesting childhood themes in sexuality are much much more widespread than we've ever previously thought. I highly recommend his recent book Everybody Lies.

I tend to feel like it's a spectrum. I think with superhero movies like Avengers being popular, adults into Hello Kitty and Kawaii stuff, people wearing shirts from stuff they lied as a kind like Star Wars, Transformers, and such, it seems like a bit of the mainstream is in the shallow end of our pool.
I've said this before and kinda felt attacked. I'm not saying they will end up in diapers like us, but hits a similar nerve.
I'm am mainly cis, but I have had a daddy. People do infantilize their significant others like you mention calling them baby. Stuff that is innocent and a necessity for actual kids can been sensual and a power exchange as an adult. Obviously being diapered as an adult is an incredibly intimate act. Being bathed and dried off as an adult is incredible. There is some subtle stuff that would fly under most people's radar. I've had a Big spoon feed me a bite at a restaurant. One bite is like try this, the whole meal would look suspicious tho. When I've had a Big, grabbing my hand while crossing a street is something most people wouldn't notice, but makes me feel Little instantly.

 

[BobaFettish]

I have often wondered how many of there are out there. I'm kinda amazed there's enough demand to keep ABDL companies in business.

 

[TheGazelle]

I would say the 1in a 1000 Might be pretty close. I know of 2 that I went to high school with and my school only had 950 students. Thats 3 in 950 if you include me

 

[Trevor]

It's impossible to know but I lean much more toward us being more common than I once thought that it was. If you're only interested in the strongly motivated folks like us who identify and are active in the community in some way, 1:1,000 or less is probably close. If instead, you're looking at everyone who might be fine to do ABDL stuff with a little coaxing or who just haven't committed yet, I bet the number is substantially higher, like 1:500 or better.

 

[pampers4U]

I tend a local munch called teddy munch, the majority of people that attend it are within a 100 mile radius of it, and there's always +50 people that will show up to a event (picnic in June) is getting more and more popular, this year it will prob have +75 people attend. Considering only a 10years ago there was maybe 15 active members, the word has gotten out and the group have been growing ever since.
Diaper sales have also grown exponentially, 5 major companies and they all manage at some point to gave certain products sell out, that suggests a larger user group then we know.
Teddy con & Cap con respectively selling out for the past couple of years, yes the same people attend, sometimes both events, but how fast they sell out is amazing considering only 4 years ago these cons were more like fantasy cons and also have grown.

 

[daddyconnor]

There is no telling exactly how many people out there are into varying degrees of abdl. But I agree that there must be a substantial number because the companies offering abdl stuff and adult sized kid clothing is growing. Look at all the ABDL focused niche tumblers, patreons, and clips for sale stores. I think incidence rates will also vary by geographic, demographic and socioeconomic variables.

I think the better question is how many friend worthy people are out there? Just because someone shares my interest in the lifestyle doesn't mean that we are automatically best buds.

There are plenty of people hitting cons these days. Not sure what they are like as I have never been to one. Still I am confident that there are substantially more out there than any of us think.

 

[Crinklesounds]

It's impossible to say how many there are of us are out there, but when you think about how many styles of AB nappies that are out there now, and how quickly they're snapped up when new stock arrives, goes to prove there must be quite a lot of us, but you just don't hear about it as it's a very closet lifestyle and not one people shout about.

 

[Chimera]

I don't think there will ever be a sure-fire way to really get the proper statistics for this. But with how often/fast diapers sell out at popular ABDL companies like ABU, we are probably a bigger community than any of us could imagine. Of course like Trevor mentioned, if you factor in those of us who are consistently active, that number is probably much lower.

I have a feeling that overall, we have been growing in number especially the past 5 years. I remember when I bought my first ABDL diapers ever (Bambino Teddies) in 2011, there were only really two companies that made ABDL diapers if you lived in the USA back then ...Bambino or ABU 1.0. Now there are a variety of diaper manufacturers you can go through for printed diapers. I'm sure the existance of all these newish ABDL companies is only possible because enough people are buying ABDL diapers/clothes.

 

[Katie2fingers]

The awareness is growing. It's so easy for someone to come home from work, put a diaper on and be "little" for the rest of the evening without anybody knowing. That's their comfort zone, I get it. But, if we want to educate the public to make it more exceptable for the next generation, we need those people who will have their pacifier, or take a bottle in public. NOT show people they have a diaper on. That's wrong for now, but in 50 years, you might have adults running around in pubic with just a diaper on, sucking a pacifier,, with a baby toy in their hand. I can see that day coming, May not be in my lifetime, but it will happen.

 

[ARBBB2]

i know of three for sure in this town of 21k and i don't know that many people here

 

[dogboy]

I had two friends that I knew about when I was in junior high and high school and that didn't count me. I think there are a number of people who might want to entertain the idea but tend to block it because it seems too strange or abnormal. I would put it at 1/1000 or 1/10,000, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was something like 1/300.

 

[Frungie]

This is a scientific base rate question to which we have no data or studies that I am aware of. Therefore, any doctoral students out there in need of a dissertation study have at it.

 

[Katie2fingers]

Well, Dr. Phil said when he was talking to an AB a few years ago that it's more common then you think, he might be right. We're just more open about it.

 

[DloverUK]

100% of the population was a baby at the start of their lives. Whatever psychological 'process' makes people into ABs, the entire population is potentially exposed to it. There should be quite a lot of us!

AB/DL is probably a lot more common than you realise. There is a big enough market to keep loads of diaper vendors in business. And I reckon there are huge numbers of people who have the fetish/urge and do not act on it - perhaps because their home situation does not make it safe, or because they are too ashamed. Remember, AB/DL is probably one of the most taboo fetishes/lifestyles out there. Personally I went over 15 years without acting on it. I'm sure many people supress it.