Campaign raising awareness about eating disorders

This week marks National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA) Week. It is a time to educate about eating disorders — what they are, how they develop, how to help loved ones afflicted with them and how to recover.

As a dietitian specializing in eating disorders, I help individuals to set nutrition goals, learn about themselves and take the path toward recovery. While the recovery path may be long and difficult, it is important to know recovery is possible.

The mission of NEDA week (as created by the National Eating Disorders Awareness Organization) "is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it's important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder."

It is estimated that as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. suffer from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Millions more suffer from a binge eating disorder. Combine those with the number of individuals in America who have disordered eating patterns of some sort and you can understand why more awareness and research are necessary.

One of the most important things we can all do, especially beginning this week, is to focus on positive body image. Try to not criticize body shapes (most importantly your own!) and instead learn to appreciate the internal self. In doing so, aim to nourish yourself in a respectful way, paying tribute to that internal self and thus enabling yourself to live a healthy life. When you love and respect yourself, it is easier to desire to eat well and to role model healthy eating to those around you. Your friends and children may be the most receptive to healthy behaviors and attitudes toward food and one's body.

If you know someone who is struggling with an eating disorder, approach it gently with that person. Offer support rather than criticism. Eating disorders are complex illnesses with psychological and physiological components. They are not just about food. While a dietitian can help an individual get on track with a healthy eating pattern, other health professionals are needed to address the underlying causes of the eating disorder and enable the individual to find alternate ways to cope, other than with food.

There are different levels of care recommended for individuals with eating disorders. Outpatient is the lowest level of care, appropriate for individuals who are medically and psychologically stable enough to not require close monitoring. Other levels of care include Intensive Outpatient Therapy, Day Treatment Therapy, Residential Therapy and Inpatient (Hospitalization) Therapy.

In our area, for instance, where I consult is the Southlake Center for Self Discovery in Davidson — a center that specializes in the treatment of eating disorders. For interested health professionals, there will be an open house from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday. To RSVP or ask questions, call (704) 896-7776. Visit the center online at www.centerforselfdiscovery.com.

To learn more about eating disorders and NEDA Week, visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org. There are many ideas how to promote NEDA Week, positive body image, recovery and more. With more awareness, we can perhaps prevent some eating disorder development and also better reach out to those struggling.