February 25 opens the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, an entire week dedicated to eating disorders, which have a huge impact on many Americans.

Eating disorders are characterized by a preoccupation with weight that results in severe disturbances in eating and other behaviors. Eating disorders include anorexia (self-starvation and excessive weight loss), bulimia (bingeing followed by purging in the form of vomiting, fasting, over exercising or using laxatives, diuretics, insulin, or other drugs), and binge-eating disorder (characterized by frequent episodes of overeating without purging).

Most people with eating disorders are females. Males also can develop eating disorders, but do so less frequently. However, binge-eating disorder appears to affect almost as many males as females.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health Web site, eating disorders affect about 15 million people in the United States. Health experts say teens and young adults are especially vulnerable to eating disorders because of the media and the growing pressure to be prefect in a society where image is everything.

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is  sponsored by the National Eating Disorders Association and runs on the key message of “Be comfortable in your genes. Wear jeans that fit the TRUE you.” The NEDA will be holding many events to try to raise awareness of the various eating disorders out there. Its goal is to educate people so that they can recognize the signs and symptoms of these diseases earlier, to allow for faster treatment and better control of them.

“While you can adopt a healthy lifestyle and aim to be fit for your particular body type, you cannot change genes. We want everyone to start feeling comfortable in their genes by wearing comfortable jeans,” said the website article.

According to Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders Inc., a non-profit organization, which offers support groups and self help for individuals and families affected by eating disorders, all free of charge, up to 20 percent of those with serious eating disorders will die without treatment. For more information, check www.anad.org.

Tamara Young, senior clinical counselor at University Counseling Services, said prevention and information on eating disorders could save lives.

“People need to be educated about the negative and often time’s fatal consequences of eating disorders as well as develop healthier coping strategies to deal with negative body image,” Young said.

Treatments for eating disorders include nutrition education, psychotherapy, family counseling, and medications.