NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 02/05/09 -- The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is waging war against eating disorders and promoting patient rights/treatment access during its 22nd annual NEDAwareness Week (NEDAW), February 22-28, themed Until Eating Disorders are History...

NEDAW is the non-profit group's largest public outreach campaign, held each year to raise consciousness across the country about the potentially life-threatening seriousness of eating disorders and the societal pressures, attitudes and behaviors which contribute to them. Also to spread a message of hope: Help is available, recovery is possible and those affected are not alone in their struggle!

As part of 2009 NEDAwareness Week, NEDA has launched the STAR Program, (States for Treatment Access and Research), a multi-tiered effort to unite individuals, family members, treatment providers and advocacy groups. Being introduced in the legislature of 30 state capitals in February/March, the STAR program promotes a charter developed by the Academy for Eating Disorders that addresses the rights of eating disorder patients. Legislative press briefings will be held in 27 of the states (many during NEDAwareness Week) to announce the charter and make policy recommendations, tailored to the individual needs of each state. The program's goal is to raise awareness among local legislators about the challenges in accessing adequate medical care to battle an eating disorder due to unfair practices by insurance companies and, ultimately, to change state law to address those inequities.

"Eating disorders are serious illnesses, not lifestyle choices," says Lynn Grefe, CEO of NEDA. "Like eye color and skin color, our body size is largely determined by genetics. Environmental factors -- societal pressures and the unrealistic images of women we are bombarded with in the media -- may pull the trigger, but genetics loads the gun. While you can adopt a healthy lifestyle and aim to be fit for your particular body type, you cannot change your genes."

NEDA's emphasis on the more serious side of these illnesses in 2009 is generating interest nationwide, with volunteer coordinators of events throughout the country using their local media muscle to spread the word about eating disorders. During NEDAW, hundreds of events will be held in communities coast to coast, offering an opportunity for people to gather information and learn how to support those with eating disorders.

Among the events planned: Seminars and workshops on college campuses and in other venues; film festivals; health fairs and screenings; awareness walks; candlelight vigils; fundraisers; artistic performances and Great Jeans Giveways to encourage people to get rid of jeans that don't fit and to buy jeans that respect one's genes.

For information on NEDAwareness Week, a list of events being held across the nation during NEDAW and eating disorders in general, visit www.NationalEatingDisorders.org.

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), headquartered in Seattle, Wash., a not-for-profit organization, supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders and advocates for prevention, treatment and research funding for eating disorders. Since the inception of its Helpline in 1999, NEDA has referred more than 50,000 people to treatment and tallies more than 40 million hits annually on its Web site. For more information on eating disorders, visit www.NationalEatingDisorders.org.

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