This week is Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

In New York, 9% of people will have an eating disorder during their lifetime. That’s equivalent to 1.7 million people across the state. Statistics show someone dies from an eating disorder every 52 minutes.

Eating disorders can take years to diagnose and even longer to recover from. Michelle Morales and Mary Tantillo from the Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders say they can impact anyone. 

Eating disorders can be genetic. Experts say 50 - 80% of why someone has an eating disorder is because of genes. 

Culture certainly has a lot to do with it as well. An eating disorder can also be caused by traumatic events.

Tantillo says there’s a misconception it only affects rich skinny people. The reason for everyone is different, which brings us to the types of disorders there are.

There’s anorexia, which is the most well-known and the most lethal. About 20% of people with anorexia who die do so by suicide. It involves someone restricting their intake to lose weight.

Then there’s binge eating, when someone eats a lot, in a short amount of time. 

Bulimia is when someone secretly overeats followed by self-induced vomiting, also known as purging.

Someone may also engage in unhealthy, strict dieting, or extreme exercise, associated with persistent and excessive concern with body weight.

Food avoidance happens when someone has a traumatic incident with food, such as choking. That causes a person to cut out food that reminds them of that experience, which can result in nutrition deficiency.

Orthorexia is a restriction that revolves around clean eating, which can mirror anorexia.

Finally, there is a category called "other specified feeding and eating disorders." That covers people who don't strictly meet the criteria for the specific disorders.

So what are the warning signs of an eating disorder?

Watch for patterns like isolation. When is it taking place and who or what are they isolating from? Are they more obsessed with something? The person's mood changes consistently, they have low energy, puffy cheeks and out-of-the-blue eating changes. They may also be eating secretively, even using laxatives and excessive exercise even if they are hurt or tired.

So what should you do if you notice something? Experts say you need to proceed with caution and care.

“What you want to do is be non-judgmental and not defensive and try not to be terrified," said Mary Tantillo, director of WNY Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders. "You want to regulate your own emotion first before you talk to somebody because the eating disorder is going to kick in and potentially make the person feel defensive or frustrated with you.”

"Starting with the feelings, maybe just start to open a conversation, like 'I've noticed you're more sad. I've noticed you're not as cheery or happy. I've noticed more isolation,'" said Michelle Morales, a parent peer mentor with WNY Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders. "And then, as Mary said, these things are concerning. And then, leading into the factual examples."

Tantillo and Morales say you should have resources on hand to share and, if necessary, be prepared to take that loved one to the hospital or doctor. According to them, it can take five to seven years to recover.

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