Teen Overcomes Eating Disorder: ‘You Are Not Alone’

April 7 Webinar to Give Young Adolescents, Teens and Parents the Nutritional Tools to Live Well

PRINCETON, N.J. – March 23, 2022 – Eating for Your Health, a Princeton-based nonprofit that educates people how to source and cook delicious, whole food meals without processed      foods, will host a webinar about how the simplest diet tweaks can help adolescents beat an all-too-common ailment—eating disorders.

Princeton resident Emma Andersen will keynote the interactive, one-hour seminar on April 7 at 7 p.m. EST. Andersen, a pre-med student at American University in Washington, D.C., will start the event with a firsthand account of how she developed an eating disorder. Then, she'll detail how she overcame the condition by cooking up a fresh batch of newfound knowledge and greater self-discovery about nutrition.

“From a young person’s point of view, there’s just so much pressure and misinformation being spread today about what’s healthy and what’s not. This webinar will help correct much of that deception,” Andersen said. “I want people to understand that they are not alone and that we can do this together by incorporating a better understanding of nutrition into their everyday lives.”

Webinar attendees will learn plenty from Andersen’s presentation, including:

  • Easy, nutritious recipes for on-the-go students and young adults.
  • The difference between macronutrients and micronutrients.
  • Tips for quickly incorporating better nutrition into your life based on your body, culture, budget and health needs.

Andersen previously suffered from orthorexia, which is an unhealthy focus on healthy eating—so much so that it damages your overall well-being. The methods she implemented to overcome the condition are strategies people can use to conquer various other eating disorders, including bulimia, anorexia and binge eating.

Her efforts and the webinar come at a critical juncture.

Eating disorders have spiked among teens over the last two years, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Research from Harvard University’s School of Public Health cites isolation, lack of structure and heightened anxiety from the pandemic as a trio of likely causes.

“Emma’s story is inspirational, packed with motivation and encouragement, and further proof that eating disorders, while disappointingly common, can be addressed with the right nutrition and the best support,” said Marion Reinson, Eating for Your Health’s executive director. “Emma’s goal mirrors our organization’s mission—to discover a new way of cooking and eating that truly supports your health and your journey to a better you.”

Registration is required to attend. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link after signing up.

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