1/10 Food for Thought: Eating Disorder News You Should Know About
In 2025, the 'pro eating disorder' community is back, too many doctors don’t know how to address eating disorders, and what happens when you're truly afraid of food?
Hey everyone! My first post of 2025. While I’ve got a lot of personal writing in the works over the next couple of months, I’m excited to rehash my Eating Disorder News You Should Know About newsletter bi-weekly.
From the “pro eating disorder” community that’s been making a raging (nauseating) comeback to the impact of the bans on transgender care for minors and how that may complicate eating disorder treatment — the world is a-buzzin’ with eating disorder news as we kick off 2025.
I wouldn’t say the news this month is super positive for the world of eating disorder treatment but honestly, when has any news been positive these days?
That said, let’s dive in….
The Pro-Eating Disorder Internet is Back by Kaitlyn Tiffany for The Atlantic
Is it really a surprise? The Atlantic article explores how content promoting eating disorders continues to proliferate on social media platforms, even on those like X that claim to enforce strict guidelines against harmful material. It also delves into the rise of user interactions and algorithmic suggestions that inadvertently amplify disordered eating narratives, posing risks to vulnerable individuals. It’s a long haul piece, much like many of The Atlantic articles but it’s insightful, diving into platform policies, user-generated content, and the challenges of regulating all this noise.
Worked on this one with my client, Project HEAL, and Carsen Rhys Beckwith, who was brave enough to share their story. I’m really pleased that this topic is getting traction. Restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, proposed by ole Donny Trump, pose significant risks to transgender youths, particularly those with eating disorders. Gender-affirming care, which includes mental health counseling, puberty blockers, and hormone therapy, is vital for trans teens, helping to reduce distress and unhealthy behaviors like starvation aimed at altering their bodies. (Trans youths btw are disproportionately affected by eating disorders, with studies estimating that 25% to over 50% have experienced them, compared to 9% of the general population.) Experts are warning that bans on such care increase suicide rates and exacerbate eating disorders as teens turn to harmful coping mechanisms to manage gender dysphoria. Despite public opposition and misinformation, major medical associations advocate for gender-affirming care, citing its role in reducing depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts. Carsen’s story in the article underscores the life-saving impact of access to this care and the need for supportive mental health services and community affirmation.
Too many doctors don’t know how to address eating disorders by Deborah R. Glasofer and Evelyn Attia for STAT News
As we know, eating disorders are often overlooked in medical care due to a lack of training among health care providers. Liiiiike … picture an unresponsive woman rushed to the ER after purging, an adolescent athlete falling behind in growth, or a man isolated by restrictive habits—all potential cases of eating disorders that many doctors, nurses, and physician assistants may miss or feel unequipped to address. Misconceptions about who is affected delay care, while the pandemic has caused cases to surge, particularly among teens. However, for some good news, programs like Harvard’s STRIPED and Australia’s InsideOut Institute… and ehem, my clients Eating Recovery Center and Project HEAL are working to fill this gap, offering accessible, impactful training and resources …. yet systemic changes are of course still needed. Pediatric trainees must include eating disorders in their mental health education, seasoned professionals need tools to navigate sensitive conversations about weight and behaviors, and electronic medical records should prompt early detection. Basically, the sum up that by equipping providers to recognize and respond to these conditions, every clinical encounter becomes an opportunity to save lives.
What Happens When You’re Really, Truly Afraid of Food? by Giulia Suro for SLATE
Man, ARFID has been all over the news recently. I think this is really the first time I’ve seen it so prominently featured in media. In this article, Suro covers Olivia’s journey with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and highlights the challenges of misdiagnosis and the need for a broader understanding of eating disorders. For Olivia, her struggles began in early childhood with extreme picky eating that evolved into severe food aversions, which - understandably - were often dismissed as a phase. By middle school, her restrictive eating led to an anorexia diagnosis, though she lacked the hallmark concerns about weight or body image. Instead, her behaviors stemmed from sensory aversions, a core feature of ARFID, which was only recognized as a formal diagnosis in 2013. Unlike anorexia, ARFID behaviors are rooted in sensory sensitivities, lack of interest in eating, or fear-based avoidance, requiring distinct treatment approaches like exposure therapy. Olivia’s misdiagnosis led to ineffective care, further isolating her, until a specialized treatment plan addressed her unique needs. Her story really shows the importance of challenging assumptions about eating disorders especially when it comes to ARFID, which we’re seeing more and more of in the world.
A couple things to note as we wrap up:
Bloomberg’s Madison Muller has been reporting on GLP-1s since the craze began. Her latest on “Why the Obesity Drug Revolution Is a Work in Progress” is super insightful here.
Also…. I was interview on a podcast yay! All about navigating eating disorders and fertility :) I focused on my egg freezing story and then of course my history with anorexia, etc with doctors who specialize in fertility. Give it a listen if you’ve ever been concerned about fertility and the impact of eating disorders.
That’s a wrap! See y’all soon for some other personal essays coming!
P.S. I’m headed to Medellin on February 1. Come visit!