02/23/2026
February: National Eating Disorders Awareness
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, February 23- March 1, highlighting the importance of early recognition and treatment. Eating disorders affect 30 million Americans across all ages, sizes, races, genders, and backgrounds. Too often, people go unseen or unsupported due to stigma, misinformation, and barriers to care. Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates among mental health conditions.
Primary care plays a critical role in identifying early warning signs, including unexplained weight changes, gastrointestinal complaints, fatigue, anxiety, rigid food behaviors, or excessive exercise. Many patients may present for unrelated concerns before an eating disorder is recognized.
Early screening, nonjudgmental conversations, and timely referral to multidisciplinary care can significantly improve outcomes. Using people-first, stigma-free prioritizes the individual over their diagnosis, disability, or condition, aiming to eliminate harmful stereotypes and discrimination
If concerns arise, patients can be connected with local mental health providers or national resources such as the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for screening tools and support.
Early detection saves lives.
