A 2020 report from Harvard STRIPED, the Academy for Eating Disorders, and Deloitte found that 9 percent of the U.S. population—28.8 million Americans—will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. Yet data shows that only 23 percent of people diagnosed with an eating disorder will ever get treatment for it. This is particularly concerning, considering that eating disorders are the second deadliest mental health condition in the U.S.
One of the biggest hurdles people face: stigma. Many people seeking treatment report being perceived as “responsible” for their eating disorder, and that others reacted negatively or distanced themselves after learning about the person’s eating disorder.
Eating disorder treatment has too many barriers to entry
Weight bias—the negative attitudes our society has towards fat people—also makes it harder for people who have an eating disorder to get diagnosed and treated, says Christine Byrne, RD, MPH, an anti-diet dietitian based