A grave matter...

Some grave statistics... • It is estimated that 8 million Americans have an eating disorder – seven million women and one million men • One in 200 American women suffers from anorexia • Two to three in 100 American women suffers from bulimia • Nearly half of all Americans personally know someone with an eating disorder (Note: One in five Americans suffers from mental illnesses.) • An estimated 10 – 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males MORTALITY RATES • Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness • A study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reported that 5 – 10% of anorexics die within 10 years after contracting the disease; 18-20% of anorexics will be dead after 20 years and only 30 – 40% ever fully recover • The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old. • 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems