Eating Disorders During Holidays Can be Taxing - Robyn Cruze for News Record

As many look forward to Christmas cookies and home-cooked meals during winter break, Robyn Cruze, a national recovery advocate for the Eating Recovery Center, enlightened University of Cincinnati students on the struggles of those coping with eating disorders over the holiday season.

“No matter who we are and what we’ve experienced in our lives, the holidays are always — well, usually — going to have three things involved, and that is family, emotions and food,” Cruze said.

This mixture can be very taxing for someone experiencing or recovering from an eating disorder.

According to the Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders’ (ANAD) official website, half of teenage girls and one-third of teenage boys have used some sort of unhealthy weight control technique, with 95 percent of people having an eating disorder between the ages of 12 and 25.

ANAD’s studies also show that one out of 10 men and women get to experience any kind of treatment, and 35 percent of those who receive treatment go through a specialized facility for eating disorders.

Cruze said she remembers going home for the holidays while experiencing an eating disorder.