[BLOG] The Time is Now! — National Eating Disorder Awareness Week
Written by Public Health Intern Madison Butler.
Eating disorders are a serious mental and physical health concern, but with early interventions and increased awareness, recovery is possible. The current statistics of those who lose their lives to eating disorders are staggering, which is why increased support and access to care is imperative to change it.
Most eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder, among other eating disorders, emerge in adolescence. This makes early adulthood a critical time to understand the threat eating disorders pose on overall health. In fact, by young adulthood, between 5.5 and 17.9% of young cisgender women and 0.6 to 2.4% of young cisgender men have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. The time is now to increase awareness surrounding early signs of eating disorders and improve access to life-saving treatment.
Although the road to recovery is hard, detecting eating disorders early on is one of the ways we can increase the chance of recovery.
Here are some of the warning signs you or someone you know may be struggling with an eating disorder:
Physical Signs
- Noticeable weight fluctuations both up and down
- Stomach cramping and other gastrointestinal complaints
- Loss of a menstrual cycle
- Fainting
- Feeling cold all the time
- Difficulty concentrating
- Long trips to the bathroom directly following meals
Emotional and Behavioral Signs
- Preoccupation with food, calories, or calorie restriction
- Refusing to eat certain foods that they normally would enjoy
- Extreme preoccupation with body size and shape
- Body checking
- Avoiding meal times or making rituals surrounding food or meals
Do you think you or someone you know needs help? NEDA provides additional resources, including an online screening tool to identify if you or someone you know needs help: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
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