Eating Disorders

 8 million Americans have an eating disorder  7 million women  1 million men  1 in 200 American women  2-3 in 100 American women suffers from bulimia

 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males.

Mortality Rates  Highest mortality rate of any mental illness.  5-10% die within 10 years  18-20% die with 20 years  30-40% never fully recover  20% die from complications

 Anorexia is 3 rd most common illness among adolescents  95% are between 12 and 25 years

Eating Disorder Pictures  Extreme cases of eating disorders  More of anorexics because often bulimics maintain a normal weight- very secretive  Pictures show harsh realities  These people see themselves as overweight, even though their bodies are emaciated.

Celebrities  Paula Abdul  Justine Bateman  Karen Carpenter  Nadia Comaneci  Susan Dey  Jane Fonda  Tracey Gold

 Princess Di  Joan Rivers  Jeannine Turner  Elton John  Kathy Rigby

Access to Treatment  Only 1 in 10 people with eating disorders receive treatment  Treatment of an eating disorder in the US ranges from $500 per day to $2,000 per day.  The average cost for a month of inpatient treatment is $30,000.

 It is estimated that individuals with eating disorders need anywhere from 3 – 6 months of inpatient care.  Health insurance companies for several reasons do not typically cover the cost of treating eating disorders

Anorexia Nervosa  Refusal to maintain a minimal normal body weight  Perceive themselves as having a distorted body image  Intense fear of becoming fat

Bulimia Nervosa  Recurrent episodes of binge eating  Self-induced vomiting

Binge Eating Disorder  Recurrent episodes of binge eating, but  No extreme weight control behaviors