What You Need to Know About Eating Disorders

Written by Deb Douglas

Women from every walk of life – including some women in churches – are suffering from eating disorders. As a leader, it's critical to be aware of issues related to eating disorders so you can minister effectively.

Women Reaching Women in Crisis: Introduction (PDF)

Getting Past the Stereotype

When we think of eating disorders, perhaps a stereotype of a painfully skinny teenage girl comes to mind. But eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and compulsive overeating don't only affect teenagers, and people act out in different ways:

Some women may sit in their closets, staring at clothes that no longer fit, crying tears of loneliness and hurt each day. Relief from the pain may come in the form of a drive-through window or a bag of candy.
Mothers tearfully watch their own daughters are slowly killing themselves through starving, bingeing, and purging. These mothers isolate themselves, feeling there is no hope.
Many women cower at the idea of being judged by their size, feeling shame each time they catch a glimpse of themselves in the mirror.

These scenarios are spurred on by messages our society sends us about eating. We’re surrounded with messages that say we should feel guilty for eating - something that our bodies require us to do!

The Facts

These worldly messages come from advertisements, entertainment, fashion, and the diet industry. But while the media screams at us about our bodies and what "beauty" should be, look at the facts about women, eating disorders, and dieting:

The average American woman stands at 5’4" and weighs 140 pounds.
The average female model is 5’11" and weighs 117 pounds.¹
Eighty percent of women experience negative emotions after viewing fashion magazines.²
Dieting is a $50 billion-per-year industry.³
Dieting often leads to eating disorders.⁴
Almost 10 million United States women and teenage girls have been diagnosed with an eating disorder.⁵

Because of society's emphasis on physical appearance, we often react to worldly opinions and misplaced priorities rather than God’s truth about our bodies. Therein lies the problem with eating disorders or other strongholds related to physical appearance.

What Ministries Can Do

As we think about eating disorders and their physical effects, we as church leaders must remember the need for spiritual transformation in the recovery process. We must help women struggling with disorders to see the root of the problem: the tendency to believe the messages the world sends versus what God has to say about our bodies.

Women’s ministries and churches have an opportunity to reach out to hurting women suffering from eating disorders and offer hope through Jesus Christ and His mercies. Generally speaking, women’s ministry can do the following to minister to women struggling with eating disorders:

share God’s unconditional love and His transformational healing.
supply encouragement for families to find hope.
equip women to recognize their own eating disorders and point them to resources for help.
offer Bible studies on godly body images and support groups for women with eating disorders.
walk alongside women as they work toward recovery.
teach that our bodies are Christ’s temple to care for during this short time on this earth – they are not who we are.
aid women in finding their true significance in Christ.
arm mothers with the tools needed to help prevent themselves and their daughters (and even sons) from developing eating disorders and the pain that ensues.

As you encounter women facing these struggles, find out more about eating disorders and how the Lord wants you to apply those things to your ministry.

1 Deborah Newman, Loving Your Body: Embracing Your True Beauty in Christ. Wheaton: Tyndale, 2002, 13.
2 Ibid.
3 "Eating Disorders Statistics" online article. Available from The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness Web site
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.

Deb Douglas is minister to women at Cypress Baptist Church, Benton, LA, and a LifeWay Ministry Multiplier.