The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) supports individuals and families suffering from anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder and those concerned with body image and weight issues.

NEDA develops educational and advocacy programs targeting a range of audiences including parents, educators, coaches, policymakers, opinion leaders and the media.   

VISION:

NEDA envisions a world without  eating disorders. 

MISSION:

NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care.

NEDA is dedicated to:
- expanding public education, awareness and prevention of eating disorders;
- promoting access and providing referrals to quality treatment for those affected;
- providing support for their loved ones;
- supporting state legislative and advocacy efforts for access to treatment; and
- supporting research for the prevention, treatment and cure of eating disorders.

A virtual "who's who" of internationally recognized physicians, clinical psychologists, therapists, nutritionists, educators and researchers support and contribute to the work of NEDA and communication of our message.

NEDA's mission is to support those affected by eating disorders and to serve as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care.

We serve individuals and families affected by eating disorders and work with many targeted constituencies, including clinicians, policymakers, opinion leaders and the media to affect change.

Information and Referral Helpline -- Links sufferers and their loved ones to vital information, support and a referral database of more than 700 eating disorder treatment professionals. The Helpline receives on average of 1500 calls per month. The number is 1-800-931-2237. It is open M-F, 9-5:00 p.m. PST.

Parent and Family Network -- Provides support for parents and families struggling with the challenges of a loved one's eating disorder and connects families to each other, to recovery resources and to advocacy opportunities.

Research Grants -- Committed to promoting study into the causes, cures and prevention of eating disorders, NEDA, in partnership with the Academy for Eating Disorders, provides research grants to promising new invesigators.

Educational Curricula -- NEDA provides educational materials, curriculum outlines and program overviews to teachers and counselors at interested elementary, middle and high schools and on college campuses.

Media Outreach/PSAs -- NEDA is a respected and primary source for members of the media reporting on the issues surrounding eating disorders. NEDA also creates public service ad campaigns to raise public awareness about the devastating impact of eating disorders.

NEDAwarenss Week -- Each year in late February, NEDA reaches millions through the country's largest collaborative eating disorders awareness outreach campaign. National and regional efforts are coordinated under one umbrella in schools, on college campuses, at treatment centers and through events, health fairs, and speaking engagements open to the public. The theme for NEDAwareness Week 2008, scheduled for Feb. 24-March 1, 2008, is "Be Comfortable in your Genes."

NEDA Conference -- Offers families, treatment professionals, health educators and eating disorder activists the opportunity to connect and share information that can be transformed into action. The 2008 annual conference will be held Sept. 18-20 in Austin, Texas.

States for Treatment, Access and Research (STAR) -- Fights for improved access to the treatment of eating disorders in all 50 states by speaking with legislators, mobilizing members, and forging alliances with other groups that share NEDA's vision.

Web Site -- Serves as an information clearinghouse on eating disorders for the public, medical community, educators, policymakers and the media. Offers updates about NEDA's efforts, diagonostic and treatment resources, and opporunities to volunteer. Visit www.NationalEatingDisorders.org.

NEDAwareness Week -- February 24-March1, 2008
NEDA National Conference -- September 18-20, Austin, TX
New York Leadership Dinner -- November 2008

NEDA is led by a board of directors composed of eating disorder treatment specialists, business people and concerned citizens. We have a professional staff of eight full time and six part time employees in Seattle, the organization's headquarters, and in New York, where the executive office is located. Lynn Grefe is the CEO. She joined NEDA in 2003, with more than 20 years experience in corporate public affairs, advocacy and communications. Prior to joining NEDA, she served as the director of the Republican Women's Pro-Choice Coalition. Under her leadership, NEDA has become the largest not-for-profit organization in the U.S. serving families with eating disorders.

Ovidio Bermudez, MD, Medical Director, Eating Disorders Program, Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital
Joel Delmonico, Vice President/General Manager, Clear Channel Radio
Amy Baker Dennis, PhD
William E. Doyle, Jr.
John A. (Buddy) Howard
Roberta Katz, PhD, JD
Walter Kaye, MD, Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic
Russell Marx, MD, The Medical Center at Princeton Eating Disorders Program
Kimberli McCallum, MD, McCallum Place
Phoebe Megna
Robbie Mann, MA, MSW
Don Nielsen
Dorothy Sprague
Diana Williams, WABC TV

Joel Yager, MD, Chair
W. Stewart Agras, MD
Catherine Baker-Pitts, CSW
Amy Baker Dennis, PhD
James Hudson, MD, ScD
Danielle Z. Kassow, PhD
Karin Kratina, PhD, RD, LD/N
Daniel F. Le Grange, PhD
Michael Levine, PhD
James Lock, MD, PhD
Russell Marx, MD
James E. Mitchell, MD
Charles Murkofsky, MD
Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, PhD, RD
Niva Piran, PhD
Cheryl L. Rock, PhD, RD
Linda Smolak, PhD
B. Timothy Walsh, MD
Steve Wonderlich, PhD

CRC Health Group
GlaxoSmithKline
Rader Programs
Remuda Ranch Programs for Anorexia and Bulimia
Rogers Memorial Hospital
McCallum Place
Samy Salon

While there are many local and regional organiztions serving those affected by eating disorders, NEDA is the only such national organization. We work closely with the Academy of Eating Disorders, which serves the eating disorder treatment community, to provide our more than 10,000 members with the latest and most accurate information, resources and educational materials and to offer treatment referrals in nearly every state in the U.S. Our legislative and advocacy efforts bring people together to fight for improved access to care.

-- Enrich information resources -- web site, Information and Referral Helpline, educational toolkits
-- Improve existing channels of information and create new ones
-- Raise national consciousness about eating disorders through national ad campaign and media outreach
-- Advocate for increased federal funding for eating disorder research

-- With ongoing support from NEDA, New York State signed into law two important bills addressing eating disorders and included anorexia and bulimia in the passage of mental health parity legistation.
-- Recent outreach to the national media by NEDA focused attention on the lack of stringent health guidelines for runway models, and resulted in healthier looking models gracing Fashion Week runways this year and renewed attention to the prevalance and severity of eating disorders.
-- Due to outcry by NEDA, Apple Computer abruptly pulled a new ad campaign touting "You can't be too thin or too rich" for a new model laptop.
-- NEDA joined forces with MHA in Rockland County, New York to launch a pilot program for awareness and prevention of eating disorders.