• 11 million people have eating disorders in the United States
  • 20% of people suffering from anorexia will die prematurely from complications related to their eating disorder
  • Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness
  • 11% of high school students have been diagnosed with an eating disorder
  • Only 6% of people with bulimia receive mental health care
  • 4% of college-aged women have bulimia
  • 8% of women over the age of 50 are engaging in unhealthy weight control methods such as purging and the use of laxatives
  • 25 million people struggle with binge eating disorder
  • Only 1 in 10 people with an eating disorder receive treatment
  • 40% of new anorexia cases are girls 15 – 19 years old
  • Death rate is 12 times higher than all other causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old
  • Nearly half of all Americans know someone with an eating disorder
  • Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents
  • 10-15% of people with anorexia are males
  • High school and college wrestlers are 7-10 times more likely to develop bulimia nervosa than the average male
  • Treatment can cost $1500 to $2000 per day – with initial inpatient treatment of more than $50,000
  • The cost of outpatient treatment, including therapy and medical monitoring, can extend to $100,000
  • Governor Patterson of NY eliminated the $1.7M budget for Eating Disorder Comprehensive Care Centers

Eating Disorder Resources


National Eating Disorders
Assoc. (NEDA)

The Alliance for Eating
Disorders Awareness

What to Say

What do you say to someone with an eating disorder? 
We asked current sufferers and these were the responses:

What to say:

  • Offer to accompany the person to a therapy appointment.  If the person is not in therapy, offer to set up an appointment and go with him/her.
  • Call or visit and ask how I’m doing.  Just listen, don’t judge or give me unsolicited advice.
  • Honestly, just being supportive and loving would make a world of difference.
  • “I love you no matter what.”
  • “Do you want me to help problem solve or just listen right now?”
  • “Is there anything I can do to help you right now?”
  • I think just being THERE for the person is really important. For me I think a large part of getting better was having someone who simply loved me and supported me.
  • Giving compliments that have absolutely nothing to do with physical appearance.

What Not to Say

  • Resist any urges to talk about your diets.  ED is not a diet.
  • Never criticize or shame the individual.
  • Don’t be a food monitor or insist the problem is just a matter of eating.
  • Don’t make comments like, “You’re not fat.” or “You’re too thin.”  These comments redirect attention to body shape and weight, and these are not the true issues.
  • Never say, “I wish I had that problem.  I need to lose weight.”   Eating disorders are deadly and you wouldn’t want that problem any more than you would want cancer.