Myths Busted

MYTH: The media are to blame for the prevalence of eating disorders.

BUSTED: Although many adolescent girls get the bulk of women’s health information from the media, media messages in and of themselves are not a direct cause of eating disorders. Media can positively or negatively affect one’s self-esteem and self-image. It just depends on the message and how it is delivered.

MYTH: My weight is not normal, I need to lose weight.

BUSTED: The average American woman is 5’4” tall and weighs 140 pounds. The average American fashion model is 5’11” tall and weighs 117 pounds. Most models are thinner than 98% of American women.

MYTH: People with eating disorders are easy to spot because they’re severely thin.

BUSTED: Eating disorders take many forms and not just the kind where people starve themselves. People who binge on unhealthy amounts of food and purge themselves by vomiting or taking laxatives or over-exercising may not look like they’re wasting away, but they’re still doing severe damage to their bodies.

MYTH: Only females have eating disorders.

BUSTED: Approximately 5-10% of eating disorders occur in males.

MYTH: With a sensible diet and a strong commitment, everyone can become and remain thin.

BUSTED: People come in all shapes and sizes, and being thin is not just a matter of diet and commitment. It is also a matter of genetics. The new philosophy is “Healthy - at any size!”

MYTH: Being thin will mean being happy.

BUSTED: As those with anorexia nervosa can attest, happiness does not automatically follow weight loss. Being happy is within you. Happiness is a state of mind you create. You can be happy regardless of your weight or circumstances.

MYTH: I am helpless, inadequate, and powerless over my life and my eating disorder.

BUSTED: There are treatments for eating disorders that have good success rates.