Eating Disorders
Obesity is rising rapidly. However, eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia (binge eating and purging), and binging eating disorder (BED) are also on the rise. In reported cases alone, anorexia and bulimia affect nearly 10 million American women and 1 million men (primarily teens and young adults). Additionally, an estimated 25 million people suffer from binge eating disorder. All are significant threats to health and are often chronic.
The average age of sufferers is plummeting, claiming control of children as young as elementary school. Peak eating disorder onset among girls occurs between ages 11 and 13. Eating disorders are also appearing more frequently among middle-aged women.
The increase in both eating disorders and obesity dramatically demonstrate that diet is not just about giving your body sustenance. Nourishing yourself involves every aspect of your being—physical, social, emotional, mental, and spiritual. When any of these aspects are unbalanced, eating behaviors can suffer. For example, the media’s portrayal of thinness and success can be intimidating and lead to unhealthy choices about food.
