What are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that affect how individuals think and feel about food, their body, and their self-esteem Eating disorders involve an unhealthy relationship with food and an intense focus on body size, weight, and shape. Common eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, and other forms of disordered eating.
Eating disorders can have long-term physical and mental health consequences, and approximately 24 million Americans are affected by them each year. Unfortunately, many individuals struggle to seek treatment due to the stigma associated with eating disorders. This stigma is often perpetuated and reinforced through media coverage of eating disorders.
Five Best Examples of Media Coverage of Eating Disorders
1. The film “To the Bone” was released in 2017 and stars Lily Collins as a young woman with Anorexia Nervosa. The movie was praised for its accurate representation of the eating disorder and its effects. However, the film was also highly controversial. Mental health professionals expressed concern that the film could trigger disordered eating in viewers who could be vulnerable to its effects.
2. In 2019, a book called “Feeding My Illusions” was released. The book follows two women’s struggles with Bulimia Nervosa and is widely praised for its honest and accurate portrayal of the disorder. The authors received a lot of media attention, and the book was praised as an important resource for individuals struggling with eating disorders.
3. One of the most iconic examples of media coverage of eating disorders is the Netflix documentary, “The Hunting Ground”. This documentary follows several student athletes in college and their struggles with disordered eating, body image issues, and performance anxiety. The filmmakers of this documentary went to great lengths to portray the struggles of these athletes in an accurate and respectful way.
4. The HBO documentary “Thin” follows four young women as they battle with Anorexia Nervosa in an inpatient treatment facility. The filmmakers went to great lengths to portray these women’s struggles in a compassionate and honest way. The film was praised for its non-stigmatizing approach to mental health issues and was nominated for several awards.
5. ABC News’s “The Look” is a documentary series on eating disorders and body image issues. This documentary series follows several individuals struggling with disordered eating and focuses on ways in which society influences these struggles. It is praised for its honest portrayal of eating disorders and for destigmatizing them.