About Eating Disorders

What Are They?

According to NEDA, "Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening mental and physical illnesses that can affect every organ system in the body. They are not fads or phases, and can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships ... They can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights . National surveys estimate that 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives."

Main Types of Eating Disorders

• Anorexia Nervosa

• Bulimia Nervosa

• Binge Eating Disorder

• Orthorexia

• OSFED - Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder

• Compulsive Exercise

• Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Eating Disorder Statistics

• Those who practice extreme restriction (e.g. carb-free, fat-free, no added sugars, vegan, vegetarian) are 18x more likely to develop an eating disorder

• 95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight in 1-5 years, even while maintaining similar diet and exercise routines

• Eating disorders have the 2nd highest mortality rate of all mental health disorders, surpassed only by opioid addiction

• In women hospitalized for an eating disorder, 36.8% regularly self-harmed