A History of Eating Disorders Although the term "eating
disorder" is easily recognized in contemporary society, eating
disorders are not a recent development by any means. Eating
disorders can be traced back hundreds of years as many ancient
texts depict the eating disorders we see today. But, even as
late as the 1970's the term eating disorder did not exist in the
way that we recognize it today. Anorexia Nervosa was so rare
that there were no more than 2000 reported cases in the entire
United States. Forty years later, eating disorders affect seven
to ten million women, and approximately one million men in the
US alone. The good news is that by raising awareness of eating
disorders, more individuals are identified and have the
opportunity to seek help. What is an Eating Disorder? You may
have heard the terms anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder,
but what is an eating disorder, really? It is not simply a body
weight, a percentage of fat, or a desire to be skinny. It is an
improper relationship with food