Did you know that nine percent of Americans will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives? 

That means that more than 631,000 people in Arizona will be impacted by an eating disorder during their lifetime.

Research shows that Arizona ranks particularly high in eating disorders among the youth population. Mental health conditions often begin at the start of high school or college, when individuals are experiencing life on their own for the first time. There is also a strong correlation between eating disorders and depression, another mental health condition that many college students face. 

It’s a double-edged sword: Teens might be more likely to develop an eating disorder and less likely to get treatment. More specifically, Arizona comes in second in the United States for teenagers who use purging as a method of weight management. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this frequency equates to twice the incidence of purging when compared to the rest of the country.

For instance, in 2013, the High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed that nearly nine percent of high school students (ages 14 to 18) in Arizona admitted to using laxatives or vomiting for weight control purposes. Comparatively, the U.S. average during this time was 4.4 percent. 

One reason for this disparity? Thanks to the sunny and warm days in Arizona, individuals wear summer clothing for much of the year — which is often more revealing and leads to increased body image issues. It’s not surprising, then, that a study completed by the Temple University Department of Psychology found higher instances of eating disorders in hotter climates. 

Unfortunately, Arizona has a significant shortage of both mental health professionals and state-funded services, making it even harder to find treatment options. Adding to the widespread problem, if an individual performs these behaviors in secret and isn’t “caught,” they’re less likely to recognize the problem and seek professional treatment. Moreover, given the shame-based stigma around eating disorders, individuals rarely come forward for help without being encouraged by a friend or family member.

Because of this high demand, The Kahm Clinic is thrilled to share that we have an office located in Gilbert, Arizona. 

There, patients see Jody Drange, RDN, CDE, ACSM, EP-C. Originally from Minnesota (and a graduate of Minnesota State University-Moorhead), she has lived in Arizona for over 17 years. During her first year here, she enrolled in the Dietetics program at Arizona State University. She has been a dietitian since 2007 and also serves as a Certified Diabetes Educator and ACSM-Health Fitness Specialist.

Having worked in both residential and outpatient clinics, Jody has experience in anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa.  Additionally, she has worked with adolescents and adults to address sports nutrition, heart disease, diabetes, weight management, and exercise physiology. The Kahm Clinic allows Jody to combine her nutritional counseling skills with our metabolic testing and body composition analysis (BCA) technology to better serve her patients. 

To talk to a professional about eating disorder treatment, please reach out to our staff or schedule an appointment at The Kahm Clinic today.