It's Time to Talk about It

In today's society, we are surrounded by information and images telling us of our nation's obesity epidemic. Shows like The Biggest Loser tout the dangers of obesity and put extreme examples of overweight contestants through a rigorous diet and exercise regimen to help them improve their health and regain happiness. Rates for bariatric surgery procedures continue to climb, and fad diet after fad diet is being promoted as a quick fix.

Yes, we all know more Americans are overweight or obese now than ever before. Yet what we don't hear a lot about is that the rates of eating disorders are on the rise too.

Did you know that more than 10 million women and 1 million men are fighting a life or death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa? (National Eating Disorder Association) Or that millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder?

Next week (February 20-26, 2011) is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and NEDA has chosen a fitting theme: It's Time to Talk about It.

I scoured the NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) website, searching for statistics for this post, and while I found some shockers, I also noticed that the research cited isn't all that recent. This table explained why:

Despite the prevalence of eating disorders they continue to receive inadequate research funding. In 2005, the National Institutes of Health estimates funding the following disorders accordingly:

Illness Prevalence NIH Research Funds (2008)

Eating disorders:        10 million        $7,000,000*
Alzheimer’s disease:   4.5 million      $412,000,000
Schizophrenia:            2.2 million      $249,000,000
* The reported research funds are for anorexia nervosa only. No estimated funding is reported for bulimia nervosa or eating disorders not otherwise specified.

Research dollars spent on anorexia averaged $.70 per affected individual, compared to over $159.00 per affected individual for schizophrenia.

Check out some other eye-opening facts - all from the NEDA website:

• 80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance
• 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.
• For females between 15 & 24 years old who suffer from anorexia, the mortality rate associated with the illness is 12 times higher than the death rate of all other causes of death.
• Anorexia nervosa has the highest premature fatality rate of any mental illness.
• The majority of people with eating disorders do not receive adequate care.
• 54% of women would rather be hit by a truck than be fat.

In an age when thinness is revered and sometimes sought after at all costs, eating disorders may even seem a desireable trait. Women who restrict are thought to have enviable self-control. As the anorexic begins to lose weight, she is complimented - "You look SO GOOD! Have you lost weight?!" - which feeds into the disordered thoughts. Unsuspecting people toss around comments about needing to "starve" themselves, or wishing they could "throw up" after overindulging, as though they are jealous of those who can.

But eating disorders aren't about self-contol... they're about being controlled by crippling thoughts and compulsions. They aren't about being "good," or being able to walk away from the dessert table... they're about being so afraid of food that certain dishes can bring on tears or panic attacks. They're not about looking pretty and thin... they're about feeling like you are never good enough. They aren't about choice... they are diseases.

Eating disorders are under-researched, under-funded, and misunderstood. I encourage you to take this week to learn some more about eating disorders, to broach a taboo topic. It's Time to Talk about It.

For more information, statistics, resources, treatment options, etc., please go to:

• National Eating Disorders Association
• The Elisa Project
• Something Fishy
• My post on Fat Talk