Latina celebs like Jamie Lynn Sigler, Jessica Alba and Demi Lovato have famously spoken out about struggles with eating disorders.
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Despite the fact that eating disorders are affecting and killing so many people, funding for research into eating disorders is a tiny fraction of the funding associated with diseases like type 1 diabetes and asthma.
Eating Disorder Myths Debunked
- Eating Disorders Only Affect a Small Number of People – Eating disorders affect more than three times as many people as type 1 diabetes and nearly as many people as asthma. One in 10 people will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
- Eating Disorders Aren’t a “Serious” Illness – Eating disorders can be deadly. The mortality rates of those with AN are almost 3 times as high as those with asthma and nearly as high as those with diabetes. People with eating disorders also have a higher risk for dying from suicide than any other mental health condition, including schizophrenia.
- Eating Disorders Stay With You Forever – Many people with eating disorders can be cured. Good outcomes are much more likely with specialized treatment that begins early in the illness.
- Eating Disorders are a Choice Not an Illness – Research has shown that genetic factors play a role in eating disorders. Biological factors increase the likelihood of a person suffering from an eating disorder.
