This week is nationally recognized as eating disorder awareness week (February 25th– March 3rd, 2019). Eating disorders are biologically based mental illnesses that affect an estimated 30 million Americans of all ages, genders, socio-economic status, and ethnicities. Eating disorders are serious and life-threatening, and of all mental health illnesses, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate.
Types of eating disorders include clinical diagnosis: binge eating disorder, bulimia, anorexia, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, as well as sub-clinical diagnosis: diabulimia, orthorexia, body dysmorphia, exercise addiction, and/or other related issues that impact normative food intake, exercise habits, and regulated body image.
Currently in the United States, binge eating disorder is more common than breast cancer, HIV, and schizophrenia1 and subclinical eating disorders (including binge eating, purging, laxative abuse, and fasting for weight loss) are nearly as common in males as in females.2 In addition, weight stigma poses a significant threat to psychological and physical health, as it has been documented as a significant risk factor for depression, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction.3
Here in Knoxville, both clinical eating disorders and sub-clinical forms of disordered eating are treated by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals at Focus Integrative Centers. “We take our work very seriously, and that includes advocacy, education, and being a safe and trusted resource for those in our community”, says Dr. Siri Khalsa-Zemel, Executive Director at Focus.
Download the full media kit for National Eating Disorder Awareness week from www.nationaleatingdisorders.orgor visit the same website to take the Body Acceptance Challenge or view additional research and statistics on eating disorders.
Citations:
Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, and Kessler RC. (2007). The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry, 61(3):348-58. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040.
Mond, J.M., Mitchison, D., & Hay, P. (2014) “Prevalence and implications of eating disordered behavior in men” in Cohn, L., Lemberg, R. (2014) Current Findings on Males with Eating Disorders. Philadelphia, PA: Routledge.
Andreyeva, T., Puhl, R. M. and Brownell, K. D. (2008), Changes in Perceived Weight Discrimination Among Americans, 1995–1996 Through 2004–2006. Obesity, 16: 1129–1134. doi:10.1038/oby.2008.35
Archive
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November 2024
- Nov 21, 2024 What are the 12-Steps? Nov 21, 2024
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October 2024
- Oct 22, 2024 Eating Disorder Awareness on Social Media Oct 22, 2024
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September 2024
- Sep 16, 2024 Are eating disorders genetic? Sep 16, 2024
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August 2024
- Aug 27, 2024 How Eating Disorders Affect the Brain Aug 27, 2024
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March 2024
- Mar 6, 2024 What is Intuitive Eating? Mar 6, 2024
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August 2023
- Aug 28, 2023 Quick Facts on Dietitians vs Nutritionists Aug 28, 2023
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May 2023
- May 4, 2023 Should You Be Pro Probiotics? May 4, 2023
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February 2023
- Feb 27, 2023 Diet Culture is Clever Than Ever Feb 27, 2023
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January 2023
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November 2022
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September 2022
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July 2022
- Jul 18, 2022 Grocery Shopping in Eating Disorder Recovery Jul 18, 2022
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June 2022
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May 2022
- May 9, 2022 Cognitive Distortions in Eating Disorders May 9, 2022
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April 2022
- Apr 4, 2022 The Stages of Group Therapy Apr 4, 2022
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March 2022
- Mar 21, 2022 Celebrating National Nutrition Month Mar 21, 2022
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January 2022
- Jan 18, 2022 Yoga: An Eating Disorder Recovery Tool Jan 18, 2022
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November 2021
- Nov 16, 2021 The Reason I'm Grateful for that "Time of the Month" Nov 16, 2021
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October 2021
- Oct 14, 2021 Plant-Based Diets and Eating Disorders Oct 14, 2021
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September 2021
- Sep 23, 2021 Harmful Myths from Diet Culture Sep 23, 2021
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July 2021
- Jul 12, 2021 Body Acceptance Jul 12, 2021
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June 2021
- Jun 16, 2021 What is Avoidant Restrictive Intake Disorder? Jun 16, 2021
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May 2021
- May 18, 2021 Perfectionism and Mental Health May 18, 2021
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April 2021
- Apr 20, 2021 Eating Disorders in Men Apr 20, 2021
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March 2021
- Mar 15, 2021 Yes, ALL Foods Really Do Fit Mar 15, 2021
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February 2021
- Feb 15, 2021 What I Didn’t Expect on My Eating Disorder Recovery Journey Feb 15, 2021
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January 2021
- Jan 11, 2021 Focus on Health, Not Diets This New Year Jan 11, 2021
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December 2020
- Dec 14, 2020 Keeping Hope Alive Through the Holidays Dec 14, 2020
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November 2020
- Nov 16, 2020 How to Navigate Holiday Parties in Eating Disorder Recovery Nov 16, 2020
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October 2020
- Oct 14, 2020 World Mental Health Starts Here Oct 14, 2020
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September 2020
- Sep 22, 2020 National Recovery Month Sep 22, 2020
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August 2020
- Aug 24, 2020 Are Athletes More Likely to Have an Eating Disorder? Aug 24, 2020
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July 2020
- Jul 24, 2020 Parents, is your child just "a picky eater" or is it something else? Jul 24, 2020
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June 2020
- Jun 11, 2020 How to Practice Gratitude During COVID Jun 11, 2020
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May 2020
- May 11, 2020 How Disordered Eating Affects Women’s Fertility May 11, 2020
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April 2020
- Apr 21, 2020 How to Care for Our Bodies During a Pandemic in Eating Disorder Recovery Apr 21, 2020
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March 2020
- Mar 23, 2020 Meal Planning in Quarantine: Tips from a Dietitian (and a Mom) Mar 23, 2020
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February 2020
- Feb 18, 2020 Do You Know Someone That May Have an Eating Disorder? Remember to ACT NOW. Feb 18, 2020
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January 2020
- Jan 24, 2020 January: The Monday of Months Jan 24, 2020
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December 2019
- Dec 18, 2019 New Year, No Diets Dec 18, 2019
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November 2019
- Nov 19, 2019 Eat, Drink, & Still Be Merry: Navigating the Holidays with an Eating Disorder Nov 19, 2019
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October 2019
- Oct 16, 2019 Fear Foods Going Bump in the Night Oct 16, 2019
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September 2019
- Sep 25, 2019 Don’t Believe Everything You Think Sep 25, 2019
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August 2019
- Aug 20, 2019 Does my child have an eating disorder? Aug 20, 2019
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July 2019
- Jul 24, 2019 Therapist Spotlight: Missy Cohen, LCSW Jul 24, 2019
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June 2019
- Jun 25, 2019 Honoring Both Hunger AND Fullness Jun 25, 2019
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May 2019
- May 23, 2019 Thoughts from the Dietitian: What Self-Care Is, What It Is Not, & Why You Need to Know the Difference May 23, 2019
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April 2019
- Apr 30, 2019 April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month Apr 30, 2019
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March 2019
- Mar 31, 2019 Shining a Spotlight on the Social Work Field Mar 31, 2019
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February 2019
- Feb 28, 2019 Eating Disorder Awareness Week Feb 28, 2019
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January 2019
- Jan 31, 2019 The Cure for Resolution Burnout Jan 31, 2019
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December 2018
- Dec 14, 2018 Don't Hit "Snooze" on Those Winter Blues: Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder Dec 14, 2018
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November 2018
- Nov 21, 2018 Gratitude: Just a Trendy Word or a Form of Mental Training? Nov 21, 2018
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October 2018
- Oct 25, 2018 9 Things To Know About Medication Management for Mental Health Oct 25, 2018
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August 2018
- Aug 30, 2018 It's Pumpkin Time in Knoxville: Balancing Lattes and Weight Loss Aug 30, 2018
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July 2018
- Jul 26, 2018 Declaring Independence from Co-Dependence: A How To Guide Jul 26, 2018
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June 2018
- Jun 29, 2018 EMDR Training for Professionals Jun 29, 2018
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May 2018
- May 31, 2018 Health from the Inside Out May 31, 2018
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April 2018
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- Apr 23, 2018 Mind & Emotions Interview: Emotional Eating Apr 23, 2018