Feb. 23-March 1 is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, a time to educate the public about eating disorders and offer resources and support to people in need, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), which sponsors the awareness week. The theme of this year’s week is "Every BODY Belongs," according to the NEDA.
Actor and mental health advocate Kerry Washington is urging doctors, parents, and the public to rethink who develops eating disorders -- and who too often goes unnoticed.
Washington, who has spoken publicly about her own battle with an eating disorder, said that people who have these illnesses often don’t fit the stereotype of young, affluent women.
"I think the biggest thing is... to acknowledge how much you don't know and where your biases may be," Washington said at a Feb. 19 panel hosted by Equip, a virtual eating disorder treatment provider, for which she is an advisor and investor.
Washington told People Magazine in 2023 that in her teens and early twenties, she restricted food, overexercised, and used disordered eating to cope with anxiety and a need for control, often feeling disconnected from her body before seeking therapy and beginning recovery.
Eating disorders affect millions of Americans each year. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 2% to 3% of U.S. adults experience an eating disorder in a given year, with binge-eating disorders being the most common at roughly 1.2% of adults, followed by bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.
Washington noted that eating disorders affect both women and men, across all ages and backgrounds.
About one in four people with an eating disorder in the United States is male, according to research published in JAMA. And about 40% of people with an eating disorder in the US are people of color, the National Eating Disorders Association estimates.
Social and economic factors can contribute to the risk. Adults who can't afford enough food were nearly four times more likely to develop bulimia-spectrum eating disorders, a 2022 study found. When food feels scarce, it can spark cycles of bingeing and purging driven by stress, shame, and survival instincts, the study found.
Because outdated stereotypes can delay diagnosis, Washington said that eating disorders should be viewed through a broader lens that includes biology, psychology, and social influences.
For example, the research shows that some people inherit genes or hormone changes that disrupt hunger signals, while traits like perfectionism, low self-esteem, or past trauma also raise the risk. Add intense pressure to meet unrealistic body standards, and the chance of developing disordered eating climbs even higher.
"In the globalization of culture… these messages are everywhere," Washington said.
Despite increasing awareness, large studies have shown that only about 30% of people who receive an eating disorder diagnosis get treatment. Yet anorexia nervosa has one of the highest death rates of any psychiatric disorder, with affected individuals nearly six times more likely to die than others their age, according to a large review of studies on death rates in JAMA Psychiatry.
Early signs are often missed, according to a 2025 study. They can include menstrual cycle changes, low heart rate, hair loss, tooth decay, and unexplained weight loss. The study also highligted that some patients may be hesitant to share these details with health care professionals.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), recovery is most effective when it involves a "village" of professionals, including a primary care physician, a mental health therapist, and a registered dietitian to address the physical, emotional, and nutritional complexities of the disorder.
Washington explained that for her today, staying healthy is about fully living and "having my life be about more than just what’s in the mirror and what I'm putting in my mouth."
"Before recovery, at the darkest days of my disorder, my entire life revolved around hating myself and hurting myself with food, body dysmorphia and exercise," she said.
If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or NationalEatingDisorders.org.
Takisha Morancy, MD, a chief emergency medicine resident and medical ethics fellow, and Ishani D. Premaratne, MD, an integrated plastic and reconstructive surgery resident, are members of the ABC News Medical Unit.
