Blog
Navigating Recovery During the Holidays
During the holiday season, more than 85% of Americans are known to overeat (Perrigo, 2018). The emphasis on food and food–centered celebrations can make the holidays even more difficult for people with eating disorders and/or in recovery. For instance, for individuals with eating disorders, it can be stressful to know that others will see what they eat and how much food they consume. Additionally, the normalization of overeating during the holidays, especially at Thanksgiving can feel stressful for those with restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and for those who experience recurrent episodes of binge eating. This stress could lead
How Parents and Caregivers Can Influence and Help Prevent Eating Disorders Among Their Children
Eating disorders and disordered eating among children and adolescents have become increasingly common in recent years, especially since the onset of COVID-19 (McCarthy, 2022; Smith, 2021). One study estimates that 6% of children between the age of 10 and 11 meet the criteria for subclinical anorexia nervosa, 0.2% for subclinical bulimia nervosa, 0.5% for subclinical binge eating disorder, and 1.1% for clinical binge eating disorder (Murray et al., 2022). By high school, the prevalence of disordered eating increases drastically, with approximately 15 to 30% of adolescents having “disordered eating severe enough to warrant medical evaluation” (Campbell & Peebles, 2014). Thus,
Too Much Trick For Your Treat: How Halloween Can Impact Individuals with Eating Disorders
Halloween can be a difficult time for individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder because it may induce concerns over body image and greater feelings of a lack of control around food.1 In the United States, the holiday is typically associated with dressing up in costumes, trick or treating, scary movies, and decorations. However, for many individuals, the increased prevalence and excess consumption of sweets and snacks, including candy, can be problematic and even harmful. These traditions may be especially difficult for those diagnosed with an eating disorder, including anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating, and their recovery process. Eating disorder
