According to the NEDAwareness website the key goal of Eating Disorders Awareness Week is to "attract public and media attention to the seriousness of eating disorders and the pressures, attitudes and behaviors which contribute to them." The cost relating to eating disorders in money and lives is high. The annual cost to treat eating disorder patients in the U.S. is between $5 billion and $6 billion. As many as 10 million women and 1 million men are suffering from an eating disorder.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. In light of the focus for this year (that eating disorders can be life-threatening), the association asked coordinators of NEDAwareness Week events to focus on three important messages: "1) eating disorders are serious illnesses, not lifestyle choices; 2) ensure that insurance covers appropriate treatment for these illnesses as necessary; 3) that more efforts must be made to educate the medical, educational and work communities to help with education and prevention; and, that increased funding for research is essential to find better treatments and cures." (Source: www.fredericknewspost.com, nationaleatingdisorders.org)
Labels: awareness
Posted By: Aspen Education Group