This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
Eating disorders are so common in America that 1 or 2 out of every 100 students will struggle with some type of eating disorder. Each year, thousands of teenagers develop eating disorders, or problems with weight, eating, or body image.
Eating disorders are more than just going on a diet to lose weight or trying to exercise every day. They represent extremes in eating behavior and ways of thinking about eating, i.e. the diet that never ends and gradually gets more restrictive. Or the person who can't go out with friends because he or she thinks it's more important to go running to work off a snack eaten earlier.
The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa (usually called simply "anorexia" and "bulimia"). But other food-related disorders, like avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, binge eating, body image disorders and food phobias are becoming more and more commonly identified.
While eating disorders may first appear to be solely about food and weight preoccupations, those who struggle with them are often using their disordered eating to cope with feelings and emotions that may otherwise seem overwhelming.
Did You Know:
Bullying can trigger feelings of shame, isolation and hopelessness. It can also be a trigger for eating disorders.
As many as 65% of people with an eating disorder said that bullying contributed to their condition
Up to 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U.S.
95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.
86% report onset of eating disorder by age 20; 43% report onset between ages of 16 and 20.6
Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives
Are you - or someone you care about - struggling with food and body issues? Click here to take this confidential, online screening to see if it could be an eatingdisorder:
~Julie Brower, Certified Teen Life Coach, Health Coach & Teen Yoga Teacher, has helped hundreds of teen girls gain knowledge, tools, confidence and courage to make decisions from a place of self-knowledge, self-respect and strength. Through one-on-one coaching, group workshops, events, parties and movement, Julie connects with girls on their level and gets results.
*In support of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Julie will be offering a 50% discount on all Ridgewood Moms Girls Scout Troop LifeShops until March 31, 2015.
What is a LifeShop? "Real Girls. Real Life. Real Talk” is a dynamic, fun and interactive Lifeshop for girls of all ages. These LifeShops are designed to inspire, empower & motivate your daughter to live a life she loves, in a body she loves. Through yoga, meditation and empowerment work, this incredible Lifeshop will boost her self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, self-awareness, & self-respect. She will learn tools to live a healthy life where she accepts imperfections and approaches life with balance, patience and humor. Please email Julie@juliebrower.com or text 845.721.5788 for more information.
Sources: 1)The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) 2) National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) 3) kidshealth.org