Additional Resources
This list includes key organizations working in the field of eating disorders, websites providing further information, and articles, books, and television programs we reviewed and believe offer useful information.
Professional Organizations
Academy for Eating Disorders
A professional organization for healthcare professionals in the eating disorders field. The academy promotes research, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders. Their Web site lists current clinical trials and general information about eating disorders.
International Association for Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP)
IAEDP offers a certification process for clinicians treating eating disorders who wish to receive specialized credentials in their work. The association also publishes The Eating Disorders Review, an online professional journal, which addresses contemporary treatment issues.
The Joint Commission: Requirements for Eating Disorders Care, Treatment, or Services for Behavioral Health Care
In January 2016, The Joint Commission (TJC) released a set of new Behavioral Health Care standards for residential and outpatient eating disorder programs. These standards were designed to improve the quality and safety of care, treatment, and services provided by eating disorders programs. This document specifies requirements health care facilities must meet to receive accreditation for providing eating disorders care. A volunteer task force of professionals from medical and behavioral health disciplines in the eating disorders community worked for more than 10 years to lead the development of these standards.
Support Organizations Focusing on Males with Eating Disorders
National Association for Males with Eating Disorders
This web site was launched in 2006 in the United States as an organization focused entirely on representing and providing support to males with eating disorders.
Men Get Eating Disorders Too
This web site was launched in 2009 in the United Kingdom by a young man with bulimia nervosa in response to the lack of awareness and service provision for men affected by eating disorders. The site seeks to raise awareness of eating disorders in men and to support sufferers, carers and their families by providing information to men and others around them through this website and other resources. This website also provides a platform for which men can get their voices heard and a space for which they can offer and receive peer support through the forum and live chat services.
General Support Organizations Offering Eating Disorder Information and Resources
Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (ANRED)
An organization providing information about anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other lesser-known food and weight disorders, including self-help tips and information about recovery and prevention.
Eating Disorders Anonymous
Eating Disorders Anonymous (EDA) is a 12-step based program in which individuals share their experience and aim to support each other to solve common problems and help others to recover from their eating disorders. The only requirement for membership is a desire to recover from an eating disorder.
Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action (EDC)
Founded in 2000, EDC focuses on advancing the recognition of eating disorders as a public health priority by building relationships with Congress, federal agencies and national and local organizations dedicated to health issues.
Eating Disorder Hope
Eating Disorder Hope’s mission is to offer hope, information, and resources to individual eating disorder sufferers, their family members, and treatment providers. Eating Disorder Hope promotes ending eating disordered behavior, embracing life and pursuing recovery.
Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center
This resource, initially developed in 1999 by an individual with an eating disorder, is now a web site offering information and a database of eating disorder treatment centers. It also includes a membership organization that charges a fee and offers various membership levels (e.g., individuals, clinicians, and treatment centers).
Innerbody
This Website provides information on many aspects of eating disorders and links to many outside resources.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
A national grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families.
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
ANAD is a not-for-profit (501c3) organization working in the areas of support, awareness, advocacy, referral, education, and prevention. Their website provides resources to help individuals interested in recovery who are seeking support, including a helpline and referrals for support groups and toolkits for recovery.
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
NEDA is a not-for-profit organization in the United States working to prevent eating disorders and provide support to those with or affected by eating disorders. Their support includes resources provided through their web site such as a National Helpline; Parent and a Family & Friends Network; Loss Support Network; an annual conference, fundraiser walk.
The Elisa Project (TEP)
TEP serves women, men, adolescents and children, who have or live with someone who has symptoms of an unhealthy relationship with food including: disordered eating, obesity, eating disorders, and more. TEP services support the prevention and effective treatment of eating disorders through awareness, education, and advocacy; providing a knowledge resource on eating disorders and being a change agent to ensure that all those affected receive the treatment and support they need.
The Emily Program Foundation
The Emily Program Foundation intends to meet these needs in the community related to eating disorders by providing support, supporting research, and expanding community awareness of eating disorders and related issues. In the spring of 2008, the Anna Westin Foundation, a family foundation providing support to those affected by eating disorders, merged with The Emily Program Foundation.
Organizations Outside the United States
Beat Eating Disorders (UK)
Beat is a charity registered in England and Wales and Scotland and is known in the United Kingdom as the identity of the Eating Disorders Association. Their goal is an end to the pain and suffering experienced by those with eating disorders and they seek to be a “champion, guide and friend to anyone affected by these serious mental illnesses.”
Bodywhys: The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland
Their mission is to ensure support, awareness and understanding of eating disorders amongst the wider community as well as advocating for the rights and healthcare needs of people affected by eating disorders.
British Columbia Eating Disorders Association
The British Columbia Eating Disorders Association was founded in 1991 to respond to the needs of and act on behalf of persons whose lives were affected by eating disorders. Founding members included individuals recovered or recovering from an eating disorder, family members, concerned professionals and community members working in the field. BCEDA relies heavily on volunteer contributions.
Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association (BANA)
The Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association (BANA) is a not-for-profit, registered charity, community-based organization servicing the counties of Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton in Ontario, Canada. Since 1983, they have been committed to the provision of specialized treatment, education and support services for individuals affected directly and indirectly by eating disorders.
National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC)
NEDC is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health. The NEDC aims to improve the health outcomes of people with, or at risk of developing, an eating disorder in Australia and recognises the need to take a long-term approach to promotion, prevention and early intervention for eating disorders.
National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)
NEDIC is a Canadian organization that focuses on awareness and the prevention of eating disorders, food and weight preoccupation, and disordered eating by promoting critical thinking skills and a healthy, balanced-lifestyle.
Selected Books, Articles, and Broadcast Programs
Many excellent articles, books, and radio and television programs have been published and aired on eating disorders. This list is a sampling of recommended resources.
Eating Disorders Catalogue
Gürze Books, LLC is a publishing company focused on eating disorders publications and education, started by an individual in recovery from bulimia who wrote a guide to recovery in 1980, that has since become a classic resource. Salucore, LLC purchased the Gürze Eating Disorders Resource Catalogue in October 2013, and continues to compile information from books, CDs, and leading experts from >50 other publishers for this catalogue. Salucore also maintains several websites related to eating disorders treatment and recovery.
Examples of Recommended Books
Eating Disorders Anonymous: The Story of How We Recovered from Our Eating Disorders
(2016) Eating Disorders Anonymous. Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books.
Stories I Tell My Patients: 101 Myths, Metaphors, Fables and Tall Tales for Eating Disorders Recovery
(2016) Arnold Andersen, MD and Leigh Cohn, MAT. Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books.
Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body (and quiet that critical voice!)
(2016) Connie Sobczak.
Bulimia: A Guide to Recovery
(2010) Lindsey Hall and Leigh Cohn. Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books.
Full of Ourselves
(2006) Catherine Steiner-Adair and Lisa Sjostrom. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Making Weight: Healing Men’s Conflicts with Food, Weight, and Shape
(2000) Arnold Andersen, MD and Leigh Cohn, MAT. Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books.
Examples of Useful Articles and Programs
The New York Times, March 16, 2016: Centers to Treat Eating Disorders Are Growing, and Raising Concerns, NewYork Times
Public Broadcasting System (PBS): Perfect Illusions
PBS created web pages to describe and link to a 2003 NOVA television documentary, The Perfect Illusions: Eating Disorders and the Family. The site also provides information on eating disorders with personal stories and links to treatment resources.
National Public Radio (NPR) August 7, 2015: Men Looking To Get Ripped Are At Risk Of Abusing Legal Supplements
Examples of Web sites to Beware of
Pro-mia Sites and Articles
Some Web sites and blogs encourage people to engage in disordered eating or maintain the behaviors if they already have an eating disorder. These sites give tips and emotional support, for example, on binge eating and purging/non-purging behaviors. These “pro-mia” (promoting or proactive bulimia nervosa) and pro-ana (pro-anorexia) sites are sometimes obvious and sometimes masked as providing recovery support. Some servers, like . Yahoo or Google, have stopped allowing certain sites to function in response to complaints and media coverage on the issue. Some sites get around that by claiming to be “diet sites” or “support” sites that include material, tips, and forums where those wishing to maintain the behaviors can find support to do so. Although sites may give explicit warnings about being pro-ana or pro-mia, being aware of them is important because they may pose a threat to anyone in recovery.
Articles Warning about Pro-mia and Pro-ana Sites
Totally in Control: The Rise of Pro-Mia and Pro-Ana Websites
Thinspiration: The Dangers of a Pro-Ana/Pro-Mia Lifestyle