Feb. 21, 2026, marked the beginning of the forty-second annual National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.
According to research from the Monte Nido treatment center in Glen Cove, an estimated 97,000 Long Islanders are suffering from an eating disorder. Throughout New York State, it is estimated that around 9% of all 20 million residents will experience an eating disorder at some point during their lives.
Nationwide, there are over 10,000 deaths per year from such disorders, resulting in one American losing their life from them every hour.
“It could kill you,” Stony Brook Medicine psychologist Dr. Genna Hymowitz said. “That's for a lot of reasons — because of physiological concerns and physical concerns, and also, eating disorders are associated with other significant mental health conditions. There is an increased risk of, for example, suicidality in individuals with certain eating disorders, especially with anorexia and nervosa. So, these are certainly serious illnesses that really need to be addressed as soon as possible when somebody starts to develop symptoms.”
Nonprofit academic medical center Cleveland Clinic describes notable behavioral symptoms of eating disorders as restrictive eating, eating a lot in a short amount of time, avoiding food or certain foods, forced vomiting after meals or laxative misuse, compulsive exercising after meals, frequent bathroom breaks after eating, withdrawing from friends or social activities, hiding food or throwing it away and practicing food rituals such as chewing food for longer than necessary or eating in secret.
Such behaviors have been known to lead to physical symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue, fainting or dizziness, thinning hair or hair loss, unexplained weight changes or drastic weight loss and unusual sweating or hot flashes.
Studies show that no gender, race, or age demographic is immune to such disorders. However, some populations are more susceptible to developing eating disorders, such as the number of women suffering from them outnumbering the number of men by between 6-10 to one.
“Individuals in larger bodies face a higher risk of eating disorders, but these individuals are usually under-screened due to weight stigma,” Hymowitz said. “We do see the onset of eating disorders occurring between the ages of 18 and 21. We see college-age individuals show higher rates of symptoms, but then we also see an increase, again, in terms of risk for women during perimenopause and menopause. And then men might also have an increased period of vulnerability during midlife.”
Hymowitz notes that while awareness of the issue is important, there is still more progress to be made in how it is detected by medical professionals.
“There isn't enough screening being done in healthcare settings, school settings, for disordered eating and a wider variety of individuals. So, though we have a better understanding, we're not quite there yet in terms of prevention and appropriate screening.”
Mayo Clinic notes that possible preventative measures that one can take from developing or worsening an eating disorder include choosing a healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, not using dietary supplements, laxatives or herbal products for weight loss, getting enough physical activity and seeking help for mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or issues with self-esteem and body image.
Hymowitz also believes someone’s perception of nutrition is another crucial factor in reducing the risk of developing such disorders.
“Moving away from an ‘all or nothing’ type of thinking about food, that foods are good or bad, can be really helpful. Ideally, we could do this as a society and recognize that all foods can fit,” she said.
If you are suffering from an eating disorder, contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders Hotline (1-866-662-1235), available from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
