Honoring Eating Disorders Awareness Week: Understanding, Compassion, and Action
Every year during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 23-March 1, 2026) we pause to shed light on a public health issue that affects millions of people across the United States and around the world. The theme this year, Every BODY Belongs, reminds us that eating disorders don’t discriminate by body size, gender, age, race, or background; they can touch anyone’s life.
The Rise of Eating Disorders
Over the past decade, research indicates a notable increase in the prevalence of eating disorders, especially among adolescents and young adults. Globally, estimates suggest that the proportion of people experiencing eating disorders has more than doubled in recent years—a complex trend driven by many overlapping influences.
Societal and cultural factors play a significant role. Media and social media exposure, from idealized body imagery to diet culture trends, can contribute to negative body image and disordered eating behaviors. For instance, studies have shown that widespread social media use is linked to greater body dissatisfaction and distorted eating thoughts and behaviors, particularly among teenagers.
Adding to this, pressures from weight-loss culture, the introduction of GLP1 medications, algorithms that amplify appearance-focused content, and the normalization of thin ideals can all heighten risk for eating disorders. Even trends that may seem harmless, like “What I Eat in a Day” videos, can reinforce unrealistic standards and trigger unhealthy behaviors in vulnerable individuals.
We also have to pause to look at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, not only at the time of its greatest impact, but also for years to come. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, the world shifted almost overnight. Routines were disrupted, social supports became limited, and uncertainty became its own kind of stress. For many people, these kinds of stressors weren’t just uncomfortable: they exacerbated underlying mental health vulnerabilities, including those related to eating behaviors, anxiety, depression, and body image.
Research published in the years following the pandemic’s onset shows a marked rise in the incidence and severity of eating disorder symptoms during and after COVID-19 lockdowns. Studies have documented increases in new cases of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder among adolescents and adults alike. For example, one large international study (Termorshuizen et al., 2022) found that nearly two-thirds of people with pre-existing eating disorders reported worsened symptoms during the pandemic, and many clinicians reported a rise in new patients seeking care.
These pandemic-related pressures didn’t cause eating disorders in a simplistic way, but they acted as catalysts in a context where mental health stress was already rising. Many clinicians now describe the pandemic as a period when eating disorders became not only more common but also more severe and treatment-resistant highlighting the urgent need for early identification and compassionate support.
Understanding Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions with biological, psychological, and social dimensions. They’re not a choice, nor are they simply about food or weight; they reflect underlying distress, coping challenges, and often co-occurring mood or anxiety issues.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the most well-recognized types:
• Anorexia Nervosa: Characterized by restriction of energy intake, intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted body image. Can lead to dangerously low weight and serious medical complications.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Involves cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors (e.g., vomiting, over-exercise) aimed at preventing weight gain.
• Binge-Eating Disorder (BED): Marked by recurrent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food with a sense of loss of control without regular purging. BED is among the most common eating disorders.
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): A pattern of restrictive eating not driven by body image concerns, but by sensory sensitivity, phobias, or lack of interest in eating.
• Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED): This category covers disordered eating patterns that cause distress or impairment but don’t perfectly fit the above DSM-5 classifications.
The Role of Genetics
It’s common for people to wonder whether eating disorders are simply about willpower, lifestyle, or personal choices, but decades of scientific research tells us that biology plays a substantial role. Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions influenced by a blend of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.
Twin, family, and molecular genetic studies consistently show that eating disorders run in families and that genetic factors contribute significantly to risk. For example, research suggests that:
The heritability (i.e., the proportion of risk explained by genetic variation) for anorexia nervosa is estimated to be around 50-60%.
Heritability estimates for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder are also substantial, typically ranging from 40-60% depending on the study design.
These rates are comparable to other psychiatric conditions such as major depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, underscoring that eating disorders are rooted in biology as well as experience.
In practical terms, this means that if someone has a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, with an eating disorder, their genetic predisposition may be higher. It does not mean the disorder is guaranteed to develop, nor that someone brought it on themselves. Rather, genes interact with life experiences (e.g. stress, cultural pressures, trauma, or disruptions like the pandemic) in ways that increase vulnerability.
Highlighting genetic contributions can help reduce shame and underscore that eating disorders are legitimate health conditions, not lifestyle choices or moral failings. Thinking about them as “in the brain and in the body” helps shift the conversation to support and care, rather than blame.
Common Warning Signs
Identifying early warning signs can make a life-changing difference. Signs may be emotional, behavioral, or physical, such as:
Intense worry about weight, shape, calories, or food rules
Frequent dieting or avoidance of certain foods
Changes in eating patterns or rituals
Withdrawal from social events involving food
Excessive exercising
Feeling out of control around food
Noticeable weight loss or fluctuations
Gastrointestinal discomfort, fatigue, or dizziness
These signs vary by individual and may not always fit stereotypes (e.g., someone with an eating disorder may be “average” weight or higher).
Risk Factors
Eating disorders arise from a confluence of influences, including:
Genetics and temperament
Body dissatisfaction and perfectionism
Emotion Processing
Social and cultural factors
History traumatic experiences
Family dynamics and environmental stressors
Plus factors that we may not even be aware of yet
Protective Factors:
These can decrease risk and support resilience:
High self-esteem and positive identity formation
Supportive relationships
Healthy coping strategies for stress
Media literacy and critical engagement with online content
Early access to supportive care and non-judgmental help
If you’re worried that you or someone you love may be struggling with an eating disorder, the most important first step is to lean in. Begin by speaking up with compassion. Open and gentle conversations can make a profound difference. Focus on expressing care rather than correcting behavior. For example, you might say, “I’ve noticed you seem really stressed around meals lately, and I care about you. How have you been feeling?” or “I may be wrong, but I’ve been concerned about how hard things seem for you with food. Can we talk about it?” Avoid comments about appearance or weight and steer clear of ultimatums. The goal is to create safety and support, not shame.
Seeking professional support early can significantly improve outcomes. Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that benefit from specialized care. A therapist, registered dietitian, and medical provider with eating disorder expertise can offer proper assessment and treatment recommendations. You might frame it as, “You don’t have to figure this out alone. Would you be open to talking with someone who specializes in this? I can help you find options,” or “Getting support doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It just means you deserve help.”
Recovery also thrives in community. Building a support network (e.g. trusted friends, family members, or support groups) can reduce isolation and reinforce healing. You might encourage connection by saying, “Who else feels safe to talk to about this?” or “Would it help to have someone sit with you at meals so you don’t feel alone?” Even small acts of consistent support, like checking in with “How can I best support you today?” can strengthen resilience.
In today’s digital world, setting healthy boundaries with media is another meaningful step. Social media feeds often amplify unrealistic body standards and diet culture messaging, even subtly. Curating your online environment can protect mental health. Consider suggesting, “How do you feel after scrolling that account?” or “What would it be like to follow more body-diverse or recovery-focused pages?” Encouraging mindful media consumption rather than rigid avoidance helps foster autonomy and awareness.
Finally, education and advocacy matter. The more we speak openly and accurately about eating disorders, the more we reduce stigma. Challenge harmful myths when you hear them. If someone says, “Isn’t that just about vanity?” you might respond, “Actually, eating disorders are serious mental health conditions with biological and psychological factors.” Sharing evidence-based resources, modeling balanced conversations about food and body image, and avoiding diet talk and celebrating body diversity in your own language all contribute to a healthier culture.
Eating disorders are treatable conditions; recovery is possible, and it looks different for everyone. Whether you’re just beginning to question your relationship with food, supporting someone else, or walking this path of recovery yourself, know that you are not alone and your story matters. Compassion, science, and community can lead us toward healing and lasting well-being.
If you are seeking eating disorder treatment or mental health therapy for you or your adolescent, Cypress Wellness Collective can help. Cypress Wellness Collective is located in the San Francisco Bay Area where they specialize in Family Based Treatment (FBT), therapy, and nutrition counseling for teens, adults, and families going through eating disorder recovery. They offer in person and virtual appointments throughout all of California. Call today for your free consultation to see if Cypress Wellness Collective is right for you!
References (APA)
1. National Eating Disorders Association. (2026). National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaw
2. National Eating Disorders Association. (n.d.). Risk factors for eating disorders. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/risk-factors
3. National Institute of Mental Health. (2025). Eating disorders statistics. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/eating-disorders
4. Suhag, K. (2024). Social media effects regarding eating disorders and body image. Cureus. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11103119/
5. Termorshuizen, J. D., et al. (2022). Early impact of COVID-19 on individuals with eating disorders: A survey of ~1,000 individuals across multiple countries. International Journal of Eating Disorders.
6. Watson, H. J., Yilmaz, Z., Thornton, L. M., Hübel, C., Coleman, J. R. I., … & Bulik, C. M. (2019). Genome-wide association study identifies eight risk loci and implicates biological pathways in anorexia nervosa. Nature Genetics, 51(8), 1207–1214.