Newswise — May 9, 2015- In the face of many myths, the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) releases “Nine Truths About Eating Disorders” in order to clarify public understanding. Produced in collaboration with Dr. Cynthia Bulik, PhD, FAED, who serves as distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Nine Truths” is based on Dr. Bulik’s 2014 “9 Eating Disorders Myths Busted” talk at the National Institute of Mental Health. Leading associations in the field of eating disorders also contributed their valuable input.

“Nine Truths about Eating Disorders” includes key messages such as: many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill; families are not to blame, and can be the patients’ and providers’ best allies in treatment; genes and environment play important roles in the development of eating disorders; and full recovery from an eating disorder is possible. To read the complete “Nine Truths”, visit 9 Truths about Eating Disorders.

The Academy for Eating Disorders along with other major eating disorder organizations (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders, National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, National Eating Disorders Association, The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation, Residential Eating Disorders Consortium, Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action, Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association, Binge Eating Disorder Association, Eating Disorder Parent Support Group, International Eating Disorder Action, Project HEAL, and Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders) will be disseminating this document.

“Nine Truths about Eating Disorders” represents a united effort to raise public awareness. It is anticipated that this document will be a powerful tool for increasing public awareness and understanding about eating disorders, reducing stigma, and ultimately increasing access to specific empirically supported care. According to Dr. Bulik, “The single best way to fight stigma is with truths. These consensus "9 Truths” are the new scaffold on which we will build our advocacy efforts for eating disorders. United around these principles, we can enlighten public understanding about eating disorders and advocate effectively for treatment access and resources.”