Academy for eating disorders position paper: Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses

It is the position of the Academy for Eating Disor-ders (AED) that anorexia nervosa and bulimia nerv-osa, along with their variants, are biologically based, serious mental illnesses (BBMI) that warrant the same level and breadth of health care coverage as conditions currently categorized in this way (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder). As set forth below, we advocate this position unequivocally based on an emerging science that affirms with a reasonable degree of medical and scientific certainty that eat-ing disorders are significantly heritable; influenced by alterations of brain function; significantly impair cognitive function, judgment, and emotional stabil-ity; and restrict the life activities of persons afflicted with these illnesses. Accordingly, the denial or restriction of equitable and sufficient treatment necessary to avert serious health consequences and risk of death is untenable and should be vigorously protested.