Although eating disorders are often referred to as a hidden problem, chances are good that most people know someone who has suffered from an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), as many as 10 million women and 1 million men in the United States are fighting for their lives as they struggle with anorexia and bulimia, while binge eating is estimated to affect 15 million people.
In recognition of the impact of eating disorders on so many lives, the last week in February has been designated as National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This is the 25th year that the awareness week has been held. The goal of the week is to educate both the public and health care professionals about the serious nature of eating disorders and to dispel some common myths about these diseases. To emphasize the widespread nature of eating disorders, this year's theme is "Everybody Knows Somebody."
Not Just about Food and Not a Lifestyle Choice
One of the biggest myths about eating disorders that NEDA hopes to dispel is the belief that they are only about food and that they are lifestyle choices. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating are complex conditions that can involve psychological, biological and sociological issues. A fixation on food and body weight is often rooted in the need to feel in control of one's life. Many people with eating disorders need to feel in control because they suffered a trauma at some point in their life that made them feel out of control.
Eating disorders can also be caused by a poor body image, a condition that is fueled by media images that connect beauty and desirability with a low body weight. Although media messages about the importance of being thin may not cause eating disorders, the play a part in creating an environment where people become fixated on the size and shape of their bodies.
Another common belief about eating disorders is that they are diseases of choice that can be easily overcome. Like other mental illnesses such as depression, people who are affected by eating disorders did not choose to become ill. Although people with eating disorders often appear to have many advantages in life, they are suffering from an illness that requires treatment.
Eating disorders are not always viewed as serious conditions, but in reality they have a higher mortality rate than any other mental illness. Anorexia is the most deadly eating disorder, leading to death for 20 percent of people who have the disorder for more than 20 years. People who don't die from eating disorders may experience dental problems, heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, infertility, organ failure and other severe medical complications from purging and starving.
The misconceptions about eating disorders can prevent patients, family members and doctors from recognizing the illness and seeking treatment. Through education and greater public awareness, NEDA hopes that more people will receive early and effective treatment for these deadly disorders.