•Eating disorders cause immeasurable suffering for individuals and their families. •Eating disorders have reached epidemic levels in America:
•Seven million women •One million men
All segments of society are affected: Men and women, young and old, rich and poor, all ethnicities, all socio-economic levels.
AGE AT ONSET OF ILLNESS: •86% report onset of illness by the age of 20* •10% report onset at 10 years or younger •33% report onset between ages of 11-15 •43% report onset between ages of 16-20
DURATION OF ILLNESS/MORTALITY: •77% report duration from one to fifteen years* •30% report duration from one to five years •31% report duration from six to ten years •16% report duration from eleven to fifteen years •It is estimated that six percent of serious cases die •Only 50% report being cured
* ANAD Ten Year Study
COST OF TREATMENT: •Treatment for anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia is often extremely expensive and can extend for several years. •The cost of inpatient treatment can be $30,000 or more a month. •The cost of outpatient treatment, including therapy and medical monitoring, can extend to $100,000 or more.
• Malnutrition • Dehydration • Ruptured stomach • Serious heart, kidney, and liver damage • Tooth/gum erosion • Tears of the esophagus
• Depression • Low self-esteem • Shame and guilt • Impaired family and social relationships • Mood swings • Perfectionism • "All or nothing" thinking
Eating disorders are rampant in our society, yet few states in the nation have adequate programs or services to combat anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive eating. Only a small number of schools and colleges have programs to educate our youth about the dangers of eating disorders.
Every state in our nation and thousands of schools have extensive programs aimed to prevent alcoholism and drug abuse. The value of such programs, especially education programs, has been proven and accepted for school curricula. The immense suffering surrounding eating disorders, the high cost of treatment, and the longevity of those illnesses make it imperative that vastly expanded education programs be implemented to prevent anorexia nervosa and related disorders.
Since 86 percent of victims report the onset of their illness by age 20, education programs should focus on these ages in order to maximize preventive efforts
ANAD’s education/early detection/prevention programs provide models for low-cost outreach services that benefit hundreds of thousands of our youth. ANAD has urged federal and state governments to undertake and develop education programs for our citizens.
