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World Eating Disorders Action Day 2018: Facts About Eating Disorders

Facts About Eating Disorders

World Eating Disorders Action Day (#WeDoAct) is a grassroots movement designed for and by people affected by an eating disorder, their families, and the medical and health professionals who support them. Uniting activists across the globe, the aim is to expand global awareness of eating disorders as genetically linked, treatable illnesses that can affect anyone. The Third Annual #WorldEatingDisordersDay will take place on June 2, 2018 across the globe.

Who is affected by eating disorders?

Eating disorders affect 20 million females and 10 million males in the United States and can be diagnosed in boys and girls as young as seven years old. Eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice but are in fact a mental health disorder similar to depression, bipolar disease and schizophrenia. It is not an individual choice to develop an eating disorder but rather severe underlying pathological factors drive individuals to take part in self-destructive behaviors associated with eating disorders. Genetic factors, environmental factors and social factors all play a role in the development of an eating disorder. Interpersonal issues, past trauma, low-self esteem, abuse, co-occurring mental health disorders, substance abuse disorders, and unhealthy family and personal relationships all contribute to the environmental and social factors associated with eating disorders

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This evaluation can help determine if you or a loved one may benefit from consulting with an eating disorder professional.

Individuals with eating disorders can be underweight, normal weight or overweight

Unfortunately the media and society often portray severely underweight young females as the prototype for having an eating disorder however anorexia nervosa is the only eating disorder that classifies underweight as a diagnostic criterion. Approximately 65% of individuals with bulimia nervosa have a normal body weight or are considered overweight. Additionally binge-eating disorder, orthorexia, compulsive overeating and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) do not have body types or weight restrictions included in the diagnosis.

The relationship between dieting and eating disorders

Changing how you eat and adapting to healthy lifestyle behaviors can be good. However extreme dieting is an unhealthy way to lose weight and although it is true that many individuals who go on strict diets develop an eating disorder, eating disorders have deep underlying causes associated with them that are more than just about food. Many individuals with eating disorders have issues with self-control and body image and use their obsession with food to cope with their underlying issues. Strict diets in general are deemed unhealthy because they have unrealistic expectations and goals.

Full recovery from an eating disorder is possible

Eating disorder treatment literally takes a village, meaning each individual on the large treatment team plays a significant role in eating disorder recovery. From dietitians and nutritionists to doctors, nurses, therapists, and support staff; the treatment works together to develop an individualized treatment plan that is compromised of many different psychotherapy approaches with or without a medication regimen. Some psychotherapy approaches include dialectal behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR.

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  • “I would rather miss a million Christmas vacations in order to have ONE in which I am finally free.”
    CFD Alumni
  • “Our daughter’s eating disorder didn’t care one bit about our family’s holiday season, and it certainly wasn’t going on vacation just because we were. So instead, we worked towards recovery in the hope that we would see many happy holidays in years to come, free from the shadow of E.D. I’m happy to say that my family is now looking forward to our first ‘normal’ holiday season in years.
    CFD Alumni
  • “Treatment may feel like it will never end, but I can assure you that sticking with the treatment plan even through the holidays is your absolute best shot.”
    CFD Alumni
  • “This holiday season, for the first time in a long time, I am looking forward to the holidays. I am actually thinking about the people, places, and am not feeling any rigidity about food. This is the life worth living they talk about.”
    CFD Alumni

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