Eating disorders are health conditions that affect physical and mental health. Usually, this happens as a result of having issues with eating behaviors. Eating disorders can affect anybody regardless of gender. According to reports, over 30 million people in the US have eating disorders and quite a number of them are celebrities.
Some celebrities who have openly discussed their disorder include Jane Fonda, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Jessica Alba, and Elton John. Since celebrities are usually under pressure to maintain a certain image, they easily fall victim to this complex mental health condition. As a result of their testimonies, crucial measures are in place to create awareness and promote body positivity.
Here are 20 Celebrities with Eating Disorder
1. Jane Fonda
During an interview in 2011, Jane Fonda revealed that she battled bulimia in her thirties. She was one of the first famous women to speak freely and in public about eating disorders.
Since the age of 12,h the actress revealed she struggled with the condition and also blamed it on how she was raised. After she opened up, she started a campaign to raise awareness of anorexia and bulimia.
2. Lady GagaÂ
Lady Gaga revealed during a Los Angeles high school conference and also on Little Monsters in 2012 that since the age of 15, she has struggled with eating disorders. The singer said she wanted to be a skinny ballerina but she was a plumpy girl.
She also added on her website that she had to stop because the condition made her voice bad as a result of stomach acids affecting her vocal cords
For that reason, the singer started her Born This Way Foundation to help young people with resources to build good body image, bullying, and drug and alcohol issues.
3. Zayn Malik
In his 2016 book, Zayn, the singer spoke out about his struggles with an eating disorder. He added that at the height of One Direction’s fame, he got so carried away that he could skip meals for multiple days.
The singer revealed that his condition came from his desire to control something in his life. Malik recovered from those habits when he addressed the issue of control. He added that after he went back home to the UK, spent time with his mother and ate her homemade meals.
4. Elton John
Besides battling alcohol and sexual addiction, Elton John was bulimic for over six years. The singer told The Mirror in 2019 that he was paranoid about his weight even though he could not stop eating.
During one of his interviews, Elton admitted he needed help to get better, so he sought it.
5. Taylor Swift
In her new 2020 Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, Taylor Swift shared that her eating disorder was often triggered by paparazzi pictures or negative comments about her body. She had to struggle with an eating disorder throughout her successful career.
Swift’s mentality along with public scrutiny made her restrict food. She revealed she thought she was supposed to feel fatigued after performing but she later realized if she ate food, she would have energy and perform without getting fatigued.
6. Jessica Alba
In 2019, Jessica Alba revealed during a Goop wellness that she was preyed upon by men in her early career which made her limit food to look unattractive. She stopped eating and also made herself look more like a boy to avoid men’s attention.
The actress said her struggle with anorexia as a teenager was a result of the pressures of being a celebrity.
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7. Tess Holliday
Tess Holliday revealed she was anorexic and in recovery on social media in May 2021 after she was trolled about her weight. She added that she was healing from an eating disorder and for the first time in her life, she was taking care of her body.
8. Jeannie Mai
The Real co-anchor, Jeannie Mai revealed in 2018 that she struggled with an eating disorder. She shared on the debut episode of her web series on Kin Network, Hello Hunnay that she was obsessed with being petite and tried hard not to add weight.
The TV personality said she realized she looked weak when she saw a picture of herself. Afterward, she got a friend to help her plan a healthy meal.
9. Camila Mendes
In 2018, the Riverdale actress opened up about struggling with bulimia when she was in high school and just starting in Hollywood.
To curb this condition, the actress worked with a nutritionist and a therapist.
10. Whitney Cummings
Whitney Cummings ate mainly a diet consisting of rice cakes, apples, and nonfat yogurt from the age of 14 to 18. She became irritated and terrified of fat.
She later got so thin and her hair started falling out yet she did not shake off her obsession with being skinny.
When things got out of hand, the comedian realized she could be healthier with proper nutrition and with the support of her friends and loved ones, she was able to achieve that.
11. Sadie Robertson
The Duck Dynasty star talked about how she battled an eating disorder for over a year. The actress revealed on her blog that she kept it a secret from everybody including her mother.
12. Gabourey Sidibe
The Empire star has talked about her struggles with depression and also bulimia. Besides that, Gabourey Sidibe also opened up about her weight-loss surgery. Â that back then, when she was sad about her weight, she would eat to throw up.
She shared in her 2017 memoir, This is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare, that bulimia was her way of coping with her depression.
13. Demi Lovato
In 2011, Demi Lovato entered a treatment facility for anorexia and bulimia. During an interview, the singer mentioned that she grew up with a mother who battled with an eating disorder and how being a beauty pageant affected her self-image.
In her 2021 YouTube documentary, Simply Complicated, Lovato said food is still the biggest challenge in her life.
14. Stacy LondonÂ
In her 2012 book The Truth About Style, Stacy London opened up about her struggles with compulsive overeating. The What Not To Wear star revealed she wanted to go into fashion but thought she would not meet the standard.
In 2915, she stated it took her about seven years to start eating right and healthy.
15. Hilary Duff
In 2015, Hilary Duff revealed she had a bad eating habit in her teenage years. She also added that she was too thin and unhealthy to the extent her hands were cramping as a result of a lack of nutrients.
Known for her strength and confidence, Duff said she was obsessed with everything she ate back then. She is now better and is focused on body positivity and eating healthy.
16. Kesha
In a cover story for Self, Kesha spoke out about her struggles with eating disorders for several years. She also said that the first step she took in her healing process was checking into a rehab in 2014.
Through therapy and new routines, Kesha was able to free herself from the eating disorder.
17. Jordan Fisher
When Jordan Fisher’s wife was pregnant with their son, Riley in 2022, he was diagnosed with an eating disorder. He told Variety that he had a history of anxiety and depression. He said he would try so hard to eat food but won’t be able to.
18. Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran revealed in 2013 that he struggled with an eating disorder during an interview with Rolling Stone. The singer said his eating problem stemmed as a result of the pressure he felt in the entertainment industry to present a certain body type.
He shared his story believing it would address the stigma around men and eating disorders.
19. Mel C
Mel C also called Sporty Spice told Daily Mail in 2022 that her former band’s rise to fame brought a mixed bag of emotions for her. She dealt with depression and an eating disorder after her group’s former manager commented on her thighs in 1994. After the comment, she started avoiding certain types of food to lose weight.
20. Dara Torres
Dara Torres, a decorated American swimmer, struggled with bulimia for five years during her collegiate training. This condition arose after she felt pressured to maintain a specific body image.
She later sought help from a psychiatrist and she’s better now.
