Surge in eating disorders spurs state legislative action

By JESSE BEDAYN
Associated Press/Report for America

DENVER (AP) — Lawmakers in states including Colorado, California, Texas and New York are taking big, legislative swings at the eating disorder crisis. It’s estimated that around 30 million Americans — about the population of Texas — will struggle with an eating disorder in their lifetime. Every year about 10,000 die from the illness. The proposals include prohibiting the sale of weight loss pills to minors, blocking the use of body mass index or BMI in determining treatment and restricting social media algorithms from promoting content that could exacerbate the illness. Among the most common eating disorders is anorexia, which typically involves restrictive eating habits and extreme thinness. It can cause abnormally low blood pressure and organ damage.