Disordered eating is a public-health problem

In the 5th grade, I was told by classmates that my nickname would be “Pitch Perfect,” a reference to the film’s Fat Amy. In the 8th grade, I was advised by peers that I was too big to wear gym shorts. In the 11th grade, I was informed by doctors that my heart was in danger of stopping from starvation. 

My freshman year of high school, I weighed 155 pounds. Often ignored or called the DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) of my social group, I quickly learned that my body was a battleground. Genetics and insecurities intertwining, I developed an eating disorder the summer before my sophomore year. Food became a source of constant guilt and fear. Surrounded by “Instagram Bodies,” Brazilian butt lifts, and other cultural ideals of thinness, I thought that losing weight…