Taking Action Against Eating Disorders
Feb 24, 2025
Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2025: The Time is Now to Take Action
Eating disorders are not just a phase or a fleeting concern—they're a public health crisis that demands our immediate attention. As we mark Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) 2025 from February 24 to March 2, the theme, "The Time is Now," serves as a powerful call to action. This week is a vital opportunity to shed light on the realities of eating disorders, challenge harmful myths, and push for urgent changes in how we address this critical issue.
Why Eating Disorders Deserve Our Focus
Startling Statistics:
- 9% of Americans (approximately 28.8 million people) will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime.
- Eating disorders have the second-highest mortality rate among mental health conditions, second only to opioid use disorder.
- Despite their prevalence, they receive less than 1% of mental health research funding, which is 80% less than asthma, though it affects about the same number of people.
The Reality:
- Eating disorders do not discriminate; they affect people of all genders, ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- These disorders are deeply rooted in complex interactions between biology, psychology, trauma, and societal pressures, far beyond superficial concerns about appearance.
The Time is Now: Our Urgent Priorities
Early Detection Through Screenings
Eating disorders often remain hidden for years, as society normalizes harmful behaviors like meal skipping and obsessive exercise. Early detection can be life-saving. What We Advocate:
- Implement routine screenings in schools, healthcare facilities, and community centers.
- Educate young people on healthy relationships with food and body image from an early age.
Increased Funding for Research
Without adequate research funding, we cannot develop effective treatments or fully understand the root causes of eating disorders. What We Advocate:
- Boost federal and private funding dedicated to eating disorder research.
- Conduct inclusive studies that represent diverse populations.
Accessible Treatment for All
The cost of treatment can be prohibitively expensive, and insurance often fails to cover necessary care unless patients are critically ill. What We Advocate:
- Enforce legislation mandating insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment.
- Expand access to care in rural and underserved areas.
- Ensure culturally competent treatment for marginalized communities.
Debunking Common Myths
Myth: Eating disorders are a “teenage girl problem.”
Reality: Eating disorders affect people of all genders and ages.
Myth: You can tell if someone has an eating disorder by their weight.
Reality: Eating disorders occur in all body sizes. Weight is not an accurate indicator of suffering.
Myth: Eating disorders are about vanity.
Reality: They are complex mental health conditions, often linked to trauma, anxiety, depression, or genetic predispositions.
How to Support Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Share Your Story or Listen to Others Personal stories can be a powerful tool to fight stigma. If you're comfortable, share your journey. If not, amplify the voices of those who are ready to speak out.
Educate Yourself and Others Knowledge is key to driving change. Learn about the realities of eating disorders and spread accurate information.
Advocate for Change Contact your representatives, demand better funding, and push for inclusive policies. Eating disorders deserve a place at the forefront of public health discussions.
The Time is Now
Eating Disorders Awareness Week is more than a symbolic event—it's a critical juncture to drive real change. Whether you’ve been personally impacted, know someone who has, or simply want to be an ally, your involvement matters. Together, we can work toward early detection, increased research funding, and accessible treatment for all. Now is the time to act, advocate, and make a difference.
Resources and Links
- The Push/Pull of Therapy – Navigating the Gray Areas of Diet Culture & Change - December 2024
- Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2024
- What is Body Neutrality? - February 2024
- Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2023
- Myths about Eating Disorders, Part 2 - August 2022
- Myths about Eating Disorders, Part 1 - August 2022
- Creating an Anti-Diet Culture - June 2022
- National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
- Project HEAL
- The Body Is Not an Apology
- Academy for Eating Disorders
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Office on Women's Health, US Department of Health and Human Services
