4. This session will be covering:
• What exactly is an eating disorder?
• My personal struggle with eating disorders and how
they’ve affected my life and career in tech.
• How your company can approach and help an employee
potentially suffering from an eating disorder.
5. What is an eating disorder?
An eating disorder is an unhealthy relationship with food and weight
that interferes with many areas of a person’s life.
One’s thoughts become preoccupied with food, weight or exercise.
A person who struggles with an eating disorder can have unrealistic self-
critical thoughts about body image, and his or her eating habits may
begin to disrupt normal body functions and affect daily activities.
(source: ANAD National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)
8. Anorexia Nervosa
A person with anorexia may have an intense fear of gaining weight
or becoming fat. Someone with anorexia may practice unhealthy
behaviors such as: restricting calories, only eating specific foods
or skipping meals frequently.
(source: ANAD National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)
9. Bulimia Nervosa
A person with bulimia may also be intensely afraid of becoming fat or
gaining weight. Someone with bulimia may eat large amounts of food in
a short period of time (binge) and then eliminate the food and calories
(purge). One may induce vomiting, exercise excessively, or use laxatives,
diuretics, or diet pills to purge weight or calories.
(source: ANAD National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)
10. Binge Eating Disorder
This disorder involves eating very large amounts of food rapidly (to the
point of feeling sick or uncomfortable). These episodes of bingeing occur
frequently. When binge eating, a person feels like they cannot stop
eating or control what or how much is eaten.
(source: ANAD National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)
11. Eating Disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS)
EDNOS is a feeding or eating disorder that causes significant distress
or impairment, but does not meet the criteria for another feeding or
eating disorder.
(source: ANAD National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)
13. 20 million women
10 million men
suffer from a clinically
significant eating disorder
at some time in their life.
14. 1 in 10 people with
eating disorders
receive treatment.
(source: Characteristics and Treatment of Patients with Chronic Eating Disorders, by Dr. Greta
Noordenbox, International Journal of Eating Disorders, Volume 10)
15. Eating disorders are not limited
to age, race or gender.
Anyone can develop an eating
disorder at any time,
though they are more commonly
developed at a young age.
22. The mortality rate associated
with anorexia is 12 times higher
than the death rate associated
with all other causes of death
for females ages 15-24 yrs.
25. Effects eating disorders take on the body
Anorexia
• Monthly menstruation stops
• Breathing, pulse and blood
pressure rates drop
• Anemia
• Loss of bone mineral density
• Irregular heart rhythms/
heart failure
Bulimia
• Monthly menstruation stops
• Mild anemia
• Extreme heartburn
• Electrolyte imbalance that can
lead to cardiac arrest
• Ruptured stomach
• Erosion of teeth enamel
• Kidney and Liver damage
• Internal bleeding
• Gallbladder eruption
26. But there is treatment
• Individual psychotherapy
• Group therapy
• Medication
(to relieve paralyzing depression and anxiety)
• Nutritional counseling
• Hospitalization
(for weight gain, suicide watch or stabilization of healthy eating habits)
41. How can you help
someone you know
or suspect is
struggling with
an eating disorder?
42. DISCLAIMER: This is not legal advice. I am not a lawyer and
you should always seek legal council and get in touch with
your human resources department before speaking with an
employee on this topic.
44. People who are suffering from eating disorders can often
preform their job duties normally on a day to day basis.
But some cannot.
45. An eating disorder can severely alter a
person’s behavior and mentality making
it difficult for them focus on job tasks.
This will ultimately interfere with the
productivity of that individual, your
team and your projects.
46. Team members talking about an
individual behind their backs will
ultimately harm team morale.
47. It is never appropriate to discuss another person’s
health issues in the office.
48. If you have concerns with
the health of an employee or
teammate, address your concerns
with HR or senior management.
49. How will you know?
• The employee will outright tell you
• Outward Symptoms
• Colleagues become concerned and inform management
51. Anytime a manager or team leader
knows about confidential health
information it puts the company
at risk of future accusations of
discrimination or unfair termination
due to the person’s health concerns.
52. Additionally if something
unfortunate should occur as
a direct result of that person’s
illness and no action was taken,
the manager or employer could
be accused of negligence.
57. Address observations
We suspect you’re anorexic because you’re way too skinny
You appear to have lost a significant amount of weight
recently. Are you doing okay?
58. Follow up your concerns with
helpful resources and options.
Remind them of the health benefits
your company’s health plan offers.
59. Provide information about the
Family and Medical Leave Act
(FMLA) if they would like to
enter treatment.
60. Be clear that you want to support them
and want them to be in great health.
64. If the person has explicitly denied
the presence of an eating disorder,
simply say you wish to help them
seek a physician or clinic to help
them with their health concerns.
66. Once a team member has disclosed
having and eating disorder,
The Americans with Disabilities
Act protects that person from
discrimination based on the disease.
67. ADA law also requtires
employers to make
accommodations for
people with disabilities.
68. Such accommodations include:
• Flexible leave time for doctor’s appointments
• Flexible scheduling to accommodate for medication
• Make job performance expectations clear and meet
regularly with a supervisor or manager for feedback
69. ADA law also allows for individuals
to take up to 90 days off work to
seek treatment.
These 90 days do not need to
be consecutive.
70. What should you
as a company do to
ensure the mental
health of all your
employees?
