Screening & Treatment for Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious illnesses that can have severe physical and mental health consequences if untreated. They occur in 9% of Americans, 28.8 million people, and 95% are youth between the ages of 12 and 25. They have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, due to both additional health complications from unhealthy eating habits like binge eating, purging, and starvation, as well as high rates of death by suicide. People of all genders can have an eating disorder, and currently about 30% of people with an eating disorder are men.
Schools have a unique opportunity to identify and intervene early on. We have highlighted some resources and guides on eating disorders to help schools support their community.