Demi Lovato Joins National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

After checking herself into rehab last year for bulimia and self-harming, Demi Lovato has become an important figure in the crusade against eating disorders.

The singer is collaborating with the National Eating Disorders Awareness week (NEDAwareness Week) in a three week-long event which aims to raise awareness and support individual and families affected by eating disorders. The campaign is organized by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and runs through March 3rd.

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia affect as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. according to NEDA.

Lovato has been struggling with eating disorders for many years. "I started overeating when I was about eight; I was a binge eater. I would bake a whole plate of cookies and eat them all. Then when I turned 12 I was bullied in school and they called me fat. I went from being an overeater to stopping eating and I lost about 30lb. From then on I continued under eating, but my weight plateaued," she said according to The Daily Mail.

Now the songstress has turned to Twitter, where she has close to 6 million followers, to help spread her message on the eating disorders.

On Sunday she tweeted from her account @ddlovato "24 million Americans are affected by eating disorders. Everybody Knows Somebody. #NEDAwareness."

Earlier this week she tweeted, "Most models are thinner than 98% of Americans. Instead of trying to change our bodies, how about we try to change our culture? #NEDAwareness" and "Research funding per individual: Alzheimer’s $88, Schizophrenia $81, Autism $44. Eating disorders? $0.93. Insufficient. #NEDAwareness

But Lovato's work in raising awareness about eating disorders does not end with her collaboration with NEDA. She is giving fans an insider view to her very personal battle and her path to recovery since leaving a rehab facility last year in a new documentary "Demi Lovato: Stay Strong" airing March 6. Partnered with MTV, the documentary follows Lovato into her most private moments as she deals with a very public eating disorder and self-harming.

It will include scenes of the singer performing material from her very personal album "Unbroken" which includes the single "Skyscraper" which deputed at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"I wanted to share my story but I knew it had to be honest, it had to be real," Lovato said in a statement according to MTV. "I have daily challenges but so do many kids who are struggling to feel comfortable in their own skin. If opening up and sharing my story inspires even one person to stay strong or to get the help they need, I've succeeded."

Comments

[splifflife]

09:57 PM on 03/04/2012

dont understand why she harms herself when shes beautiful

[marymmg]

09:53 PM on 03/04/2012

Perhaps Ms. Covington-Armstrong's point in mentioning that she was African American has to do with the fact that the number of African American women who struggle with an eating disorder is substantially less than those women of other ethnic make-up......as research shows it is predominantly Caucasian females who struggle with an ED. It is significant in that her point demonstrates that no one is immune from these deadly disorders. Plus, she's probably just proud of who she is and why wouldn't she be? Research also shows that recovery prospects for someone with an ED are not stellar---they are extremely complicated. And because one must eat to survive-- taking food out of the equation (as in removing cocaine, for example) is not an option. I too am proud to say (as a Caucasian female) that I am one of the lucky ones. I first battled anorexia nervosa 21 years ago. I received 4 months of inpatient hospitalization...did well....relapsed... and was re-hospitalized. 21 years later I can say that it has been an excruciating battle, but I think I can honestly at this juncture say that I have won. I have curves, and for the first time EVER (since I started the ruminating thoughts at age 8) I am comfortable with my body overall. Good luck Demi and all the others having a tough time.

[talentunfound]

09:47 PM on 03/04/2012

I think the most important thing about Demi's struggle is that she's a teenager that isn't afraid to admit she's done some bad things to herself and her body. I know so many girls who don't eat or take pills to lose weight. I know so many people who smoke/drink/cut when they're depressed. And it just makes things worse. They don't even know that the things they think help them feel better are the things keeping them down. I'm glad that Demi isn't a Taylor or Selena. She's real. A lot of kids can relate. Demi overcame the low self esteem and self hatred. And I know that a lot of people are going to see how she got back on her feet and try to do the same thing.

[Gabriellyn]

09:26 PM on 03/04/2012

What scares me besides the fact that this disorder does exist and how many young women sadly deal with it on a day by day basis is the fact that there are so many ignorant individuals out there who hide behind their computers to leave such ignorant comments on an article such as this. It only proves to everyone how nonexistent their empathy or compassion really is and somehow they feel empowered by it. Now THAT'S sad. Wonder what kind of disorder ignorance falls into.

[Bea Andrews]

09:22 PM on 03/04/2012

I think it's worse to use an eating disorder as a muse, when the reason was a coke addiction. It's funny how any mention of drugs has been ended, looks like her contract with Disney isn't up yet and they want to make her look squeaky clean.

[Kevin73]

09:21 PM on 03/04/2012

Eating disorder awareness week....

sponsored by Golden Corral...

make sure to visit the trash cans by the door on your way out.

[LOL13824]

09:04 PM on 03/04/2012

it seems that stay strong is what everyone says, then they screw up again

[febreezefancy]

08:25 PM on 03/04/2012

these comments are sickening. this is why awareness is needed.

[Stephanie Armstrong]

07:24 PM on 03/04/2012

I am an African-American woman who has recovered from an eating disorder work helping people to recover. Demi's story is not rare but because of her celebrity and willingness to share her journey hopefully people will listen and feel less isolated. Eating disorders are about depression, the need for control, denying deep seated feelings of unworthiness and low self-esteem and many other issues. Eating disorders are not a fun diet or a way to get your attention. The comments remind me that a lack of education about eating disorders make normal people think we can simply be cured by diet, exercise and willpower or that anyone would think it's cool to publicly state that they were in so much pain they put their faces in the toilet day after day. I promise that everyone of you know someone who has either had or is currently struggling with an eating disorder. 13-16 is the average age that people begin to have eating disorders. Please realize that unless you have an ED we don't expect you to understand but we do expect human decency and compassion. Way to go Demi. Stephanie Covington Armstrong

[stonewolfco]

07:37 PM on 03/04/2012

what does being black have to do with this article? it never mentions race why would you? what does being black have at all to do with your eating disorder?

[aspman07]

08:28 PM on 03/04/2012

I was about to ask the same thing.

[boycottrightwingthings]

09:30 PM on 03/04/2012

Why do you have to ask her that? Why do you have a problem with someone mentioning a part of their identity?

[Dntble]

07:25 PM on 03/04/2012

Your brain appears chunky. Eating disorders are horrible for their victims and their families and perpetuated by stupid comments like yours. Is your body perfect, Jacob? If so, your brain needs alot of work.

[JeepGrandCher]

07:41 PM on 03/04/2012

Clearly you wrote that just to get a rise out of people haha, but really the joke is on you.

[PleaseNoPolitics]

06:20 PM on 03/04/2012

Well I started to read, but it quickly turned into another article that just repeats the same thing over and over, and it goes something like this:

Wahhhhh....

Here's a cheeseburger, now shutup...

[bradhshickoh]

06:06 PM on 03/04/2012

NEVER HEARD OF HER

[LOL13824]

09:05 PM on 03/04/2012

you are lucky you have not

[SmurphIt]

05:43 PM on 03/04/2012

Poor kid, wake up. It's all checks & balances...you eat healthy & work out. The diet's all tell you theres nothing wrong with the binge once in a while. The first step is to like yourself.

[bravo11delta6]

05:37 PM on 03/04/2012

There's no such thing as eating disorders. Its just an excuse to pin the blame for someone's extreme lack of discipine and common sense on something else.

It's a coping mechanism, allowing someone to not feel as bad as they should because, after all, its not their fault-they have a disorder.

[Damian61]

07:02 PM on 03/04/2012

Actually its more than dieting and exercising, anorexia and bullimia are extremes of both. NO one is blaming anyone when they have this psychological disorder. Those suffering are blaming themselve. Its a way of controlling something in your life when you've feel as thought you/ve lost control of everything else. Women and men with eating disorders actually are EXTEMELY DISCIPLINED..."A type personalitiies"

[bravo11delta6]

07:20 PM on 03/04/2012

Either you're one of these people and you need this crutch to feel better about yourself

OR

You're a doctor/therapist who needs people to believe this in order to support your practice.

[secondcoming]

04:36 PM on 03/04/2012

say ahhh!! uh! that's where it all begins.. you start opening up for spoons, pretty soon it's the trucks, the trains, the ships, then planes.. no wonder she has an eating disorder, keep her mouth closed it'll take care of the problem.