Eating disorders are a silent epidemic

Boston Herald -

Eating disorders are a silent epidemic - and the epidemic is spreading.
At one extreme, nearly a third of America is considered to be obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control. As recently as 1990, in no state was more than 15 percent of the population obese. By 2006, at least 20 percent of the population was considered obese in all but four states.
While millions of Americans are eating themselves to death, millions more are starving themselves to death. Anorexia is not just for models and celebrities. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 1 percent of women and adolescent girls have this debilitating, potentially deadly disease. Males account for just 10 percent of all cases, but their numbers are growing.
Bulimia is even more common. Those with bulimia purge their food, abuse laxatives or exercise obsessively to control their weight. Although research suggests that up to 4 percent of college-aged women have bulimia, it is increasingly common among women and men of all ages.
Eating disorders are serious illnesses. If left untreated, an estimated 20 percent of those with anorexia will die from malnutrition and other factors. Obesity, conversely, can double a person's susceptibility to heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
In spite of these startling statistics, surprisingly little has been done to address this epidemic. National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, which begins tomorrow, is a start, but eating disorders are a serious problem 52 weeks a year.
It would be hard to argue that eating disorders have not received their fair share of media attention. The problem is that media portrayals have left the impression that eating disorders mostly affect the rich and famous, and are the result of character deficiency and poor upbringing.
The number of afflicted individuals strongly suggests that these popular beliefs fall far short of explaining eating disorders. More critically, these stereotypes obscure reality and leave us all spectacularly vulnerable to the severe human suffering and excessive societal cost these conditions create.
So how can we do better?
The first step is to increase awareness of the seriousness of eating disorders and to accept, as we do with other major diseases, that there are many types of eating disorders and likely many causes.
We need to be wary of the quick fix. The science of eating turns out to be a complex subject involving the interplay of genetics, biochemistry, nutrition and psychology. There will be no "one size fits all" solution.
Lack of research funding is a major problem. According to the National Eating Disorder Association, research funding works out to $1.20 a year for each person with an eating disorder, compared with $159 for each person with schizophrenia.
As adults, we need to model healthy attitudes and habits, ignore fad diets and educate our children better. Most people can maintain a healthy weight through nutrition and exercise. It's not just about willpower, though. Some need professional assistance.
Insurers are uncertain about how best to cover eating disorders. They cover some eating disorders as mental health problems, others as medical problems and still others as both. Regardless of how eating disorders are covered, they pose a challenge, because the medical impact is so costly.
The good news is that with proper treatment, many people fully recover. If we begin to recognize eating disorders as the national epidemic that they are, a far greater percentage of patients can recover fully and enjoy happy and healthier lives.
Stuart Koman is president and CEO of Walden Behavioral Care Inc. of Waltham and Northampton.