National Eating Disorder Awareness week is Feb. 22-28th.
2015 THEME: I HAD NO IDEA
"The goal of NEDAwareness Week is to put the spotlight on the seriousness of eating disorders and to improve public understanding of their causes, triggers and treatments. By increasing awareness and access to resources, we can encourage early detection and intervention, which can improve the likelihood of full recovery for millions." - NEDAwareness.org
Know Your Facts
✦ Up to 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U.S.
✦ Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
✦Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents.
✦95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.8
✦The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate associated with all causes of death for females 15-24 years old.
✦Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.
✦An estimated 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.
✦Men are less likely to seek treatment for eating disorders because of the perception that they are primarily a "woman's diseases".
✦20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.
Know the Myths
✦Myth: You can tell someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them.
Fact: Eating disorders don't discriminate. Just because someone doesn't look like they have an eating disorder, doesn't mean they actually don't have one.
✦Myth: Men don't get eating disorders.
Fact: First, erase that concept from your mind completely. At least 1 out of 10 people with an eating disorder is male. In a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, boys and men were cited as one of the groups seeing the fastest rise in eating disorders over the past 10 years along with 8-12 year olds and ethnic minorities.
✦Myth: Eating Disorders are a lifestyle choice; someone can stop having an eating disorder.
Fact: Eating disorders are serious illnesses with mental and physical consequences that involve a great deal of suffering. Someone can make the choice to pursue recovery, but the act of recovery itself is a lot of hard work and involves more than simply deciding to not act on symptoms.
✦Myth: Eating Disorders are a result of controlling parents and dysfunctional families.
Fact: Families affected by eating disorders are very diverse. Between 50-80% of a person's risk for developing an eating disorder is due to genetic factors. Parents and families can play in integral role in helping a loved one recover - this is why family therapy is a primary therapeutic modality used for both adolescents and is encouraged for adults as well.
Risk Factors
✦In judge sports - sports that score participants - prevalence of eating disorders is 13% (compared at 3% in refereed sports)
✦Significantly higher rates of eating disorders found in elite athletes (20%), than in a female control group (9%).
✦Female athletes in aesthetic sports (e.g. gymnastics, ballet, figure skating) found to be at the highest risk for an eating disorder.
✦A comparison of the psychological profiles of athletes and those with anorexia found these factors in common:
perfectionism, high self-expectations, competitiveness, hyperactivity, repetitive exercise routines, compulsiveness, drive, tendency toward depression, body image distortion, pre-occupation with dieting and weight.
(Statistics found at ANAD.org)
2015 THEME: I HAD NO IDEA
"The goal of NEDAwareness Week is to put the spotlight on the seriousness of eating disorders and to improve public understanding of their causes, triggers and treatments. By increasing awareness and access to resources, we can encourage early detection and intervention, which can improve the likelihood of full recovery for millions." - NEDAwareness.org
Know Your Facts
✦ Up to 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U.S.
✦ Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
✦Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents.
✦95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.8
✦The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate associated with all causes of death for females 15-24 years old.
✦Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.
✦An estimated 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.
✦Men are less likely to seek treatment for eating disorders because of the perception that they are primarily a "woman's diseases".
✦20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.
Know the Myths
✦Myth: You can tell someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them.
Fact: Eating disorders don't discriminate. Just because someone doesn't look like they have an eating disorder, doesn't mean they actually don't have one.
✦Myth: Men don't get eating disorders.
Fact: First, erase that concept from your mind completely. At least 1 out of 10 people with an eating disorder is male. In a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, boys and men were cited as one of the groups seeing the fastest rise in eating disorders over the past 10 years along with 8-12 year olds and ethnic minorities.
✦Myth: Eating Disorders are a lifestyle choice; someone can stop having an eating disorder.
Fact: Eating disorders are serious illnesses with mental and physical consequences that involve a great deal of suffering. Someone can make the choice to pursue recovery, but the act of recovery itself is a lot of hard work and involves more than simply deciding to not act on symptoms.
✦Myth: Eating Disorders are a result of controlling parents and dysfunctional families.
Fact: Families affected by eating disorders are very diverse. Between 50-80% of a person's risk for developing an eating disorder is due to genetic factors. Parents and families can play in integral role in helping a loved one recover - this is why family therapy is a primary therapeutic modality used for both adolescents and is encouraged for adults as well.
Risk Factors
✦In judge sports - sports that score participants - prevalence of eating disorders is 13% (compared at 3% in refereed sports)
✦Significantly higher rates of eating disorders found in elite athletes (20%), than in a female control group (9%).
✦Female athletes in aesthetic sports (e.g. gymnastics, ballet, figure skating) found to be at the highest risk for an eating disorder.
✦A comparison of the psychological profiles of athletes and those with anorexia found these factors in common:
perfectionism, high self-expectations, competitiveness, hyperactivity, repetitive exercise routines, compulsiveness, drive, tendency toward depression, body image distortion, pre-occupation with dieting and weight.
(Statistics found at ANAD.org)
"Eating disorder sufferers cannot be told to 'pull themselves together', to 'stop doing that' or to 'just eat'."
- Lynn Crill, Hope with Eating Disorders
Treatment is available. Recovery is possible.
Eating disorders are serious health conditions that can be both physically and emotionally destructive.
People with eating disorders need to seek professional help. Early diagnosis and intervention may enhance recovery. Eating disorders can be comic chronic, debilitating, and even life-threatening conditions.
Asking for help and receiving treatm ent is hard, but necessary.
What it's like living with an E.D.
The NEDA website has so many Stories of Hope which can not only help provide hope for those suffering, but these stories can also help those who have never experienced an eating disorder understand and be more compassionate - as well as help them help those suffering.
Why your efforts matter
Each year the NEDA website sees a huge spike in help-seeking behavior as a result of #NEDAwareness Week.
You can see the info-graph here.
You can be someone's step towards recovery.
How can I get involved & raise awareness?
Educating yourself as well as those around you about eating disorders is a great way to get involved.
Correcting myths and spreading awareness about the facts are important steps to eating disorder prevention.
You can visit NEDAwareness.org to review information about how eating disorders develop and why they are so complex, as well as finding out how you can be proactive in recognizing contributing factors and being a part of the fight against these life threatening illnesses.
Eating disorders are serious health conditions that can be both physically and emotionally destructive.
People with eating disorders need to seek professional help. Early diagnosis and intervention may enhance recovery. Eating disorders can be comic chronic, debilitating, and even life-threatening conditions.
Asking for help and receiving treatm ent is hard, but necessary.
What it's like living with an E.D.
The NEDA website has so many Stories of Hope which can not only help provide hope for those suffering, but these stories can also help those who have never experienced an eating disorder understand and be more compassionate - as well as help them help those suffering.
Why your efforts matter
Each year the NEDA website sees a huge spike in help-seeking behavior as a result of #NEDAwareness Week.
You can see the info-graph here.
You can be someone's step towards recovery.
How can I get involved & raise awareness?
Educating yourself as well as those around you about eating disorders is a great way to get involved.
Correcting myths and spreading awareness about the facts are important steps to eating disorder prevention.
You can visit NEDAwareness.org to review information about how eating disorders develop and why they are so complex, as well as finding out how you can be proactive in recognizing contributing factors and being a part of the fight against these life threatening illnesses.
Additional Resources:
NEDA Helpline: 800.931.2237
Information & Referral Helpline
NEDA Screening - How are you feeling?
Support Groups
Helping someone with an Eating Disorder
Eating Disorders Anonymous
NEDA Helpline: 800.931.2237
Information & Referral Helpline
NEDA Screening - How are you feeling?
Support Groups
Helping someone with an Eating Disorder
Eating Disorders Anonymous