Fact Sheets

She could be your sister, your neighbor, or your best friend. On the outside, she appears happy, successful and full of life. But as the cliché goes, looks can be deceiving. It is not always easy to tell if someone has an eating disorder by the person's physical appearance. Eating disorders affect more than five million girls and women and one millions boys and men. And some will lose their life to the disorder from physical complications or suicide. But with proper intervention and treatment, a high percentage of individuals with eating disorders can recover. The following fact sheets can help answer a variety of questions you may have about eating disorders. Just click on the link to access the information you need.

10 Will-Powers" for Improving Body Image
Taking care of your body plays a crucial part in your happiness.

20 Ways to Love Your Body
Your body is the vehicle that helps you achieve your dreams.

Anorexia, Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder: What is An Eating Disorder?
Eating disorders are complex and difficult to define. There are several different aspects and behaviors linked to each type.

Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is a potentially life-threatening disorder where the person loses an excessive amount of weight and starves themselves.

Anorexia Nervosa in Males
Anorexia affects males as well as females and is just as serious.

Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder is a newly recognized eating disorder characterized by episodes of uncontrolled eating without purging.

Binge Eating Disorder in Males
Binge Eating affects males as well as females and is just as serious.

Body Image
Body image is how you perceive your body and plays a role in eating disorders.

Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is a potentially life threatening disorder that is distinguished by binging and purging through vomiting, exercise or other methods to keep from gaining weight.

Bulimia Nervosa in Males
Bulimia Nervosa affects males as well as females and is just as serious.

'Causes of Eating Disorders?
Although eating disorders appear to be about food and weight, there are a multitude of factors that cause an eating disorder. Most often food and weight are just symptoms of larger issues underlying the eating disorder.

Don'ts" for those working with Students
Knowing what and what not to say and do is crucial to handling a touchy subject like eating disorders with your student.

Educators: Understanding Your Role
Educators can play an important role in an eating disordered student's life, both positively and negatively.

Enhancing Male Body Image
Men can suffer from poor body image and need to be taught to value their bodies no matter what they look like.

Health Consequences of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can cause severe and long lasting health consequences.

Helpful Questions When Considering Treatment Options
Finding the appropriate treatment is crucial for recovery.

How to Help a Friend with Eating and Body Image Issues
Helping a friend with an eating disorder is difficult. You cannot force your friend to seek treatment, but you can learn how to be supportive and to provide the right referrals if your friend is ready for help.

NO Dieting: Risks and Reasons to Stop
Be aware of dieting traps and how our society reinforces the dieting message.

Listen to Your Body
Your body lets you know when you are hungry and full, but you have to learn to listen to your body for cues.

kNOw Weigh!
Sign here to reclaim your body from our weight obsessed society.

Questions to Ask Your Treatment Provider
It is important to ask your treatment provider certain questions to make sure they are a fit for you.

Research on Males and Eating Disorders
Males with eating disorders have similarities and differences to females with eating disorders.

Seeking Treatment
It is extremely important to seek treatment when starting recovery from an eating disorder . There are different types of treatment available for eating disorders. The most successful treatment may be a combination of different treatment options.

Sharing with EEEase
Talking about your eating disorder is difficult and the three EEE's can help you through it.

Statistics
In the United States , conservative estimates indicate that after puberty, 5-10 million girls and women and 1 million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or borderline conditions.

Strategies for Prevention and Early Intervention of Male Eating Disorders
Eating disorders strike men as well as women, and focusing on males with eating disorders is crucial in prevention and early intervention.

Ten Steps To Positive Body Image
These are steps you can take to improve your body image.

The Media, Body Image, and Eating Disorders
The media plays a substantial role in how our society perceives beauty and the images portrayed in the media as attractive can influence body image and self esteem, which in turn can contribute to an eating disorder.

Tips for Becoming a Critical Viewer of the Media
One of the most powerful ways to avoid negative media influence on your body image and self esteem is learn how to be a critical viewer of the media.

Treatment of Eating Disorders
The most effective and long-lasting treatment of an eating disorder is some form of psychotherapy or counseling, coupled with careful attention to medical and nutritional needs.

Twelve Ideas to Help People with Eating Disorders Negotiate the Holidays
Holidays can be a stressful time for people with eating disorders, but there are healthy ways to get through this tough time.

What Can You Do to Help Prevent Eating Disorders?
There are several things that you can do to help prevent eating disorders in your everyday life.

What's Going On With Me?
Often an eating disorder sneaks up on a person and suddenly dieting and obsession with weight is out of control and has become disordered eating or a full blown eating disorder.