The purpose of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (February 26-March 4) is to shed light on the three common types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Headed by the National Eating Disorders Association, its overall goal is to provide helpful resources for those afflicted by any of these disorders.

NEDA reports that approximately 30 million Americans will struggle with an eating disorder at some point throughout their lives, and the worldwide figure is nearly 70 million. Regarding specific disorders, 0.9% of women and 0.3% of men will suffer from anorexia at some point in their lives, 1.5% and 0.5% for bulimia, and 3.5% and 2% for binge eating disorder.

Anorexia and bulimia increased rapidly in the 1980s-90s, but have remained somewhat steady since then. Binge eating disorder, which was not recognized as a formal diagnosis until 2013, is now considered the most common eating disorder in the United States.

Often times a victim's eating disorder symptoms can change over time; approximately half of those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa develop bulimia nervosa later on, and binge eaters often later on severely restrict their caloric intake.

If you or a loved one suffers from an eating disorder, the first step to realize that these food and weight-related behaviors are not helping; rather, they are harmful to your overall health and well-being. While the road to recovering from an eating disorder is a long and often challenging one, it's vital in order to recreate a positive identity and take back control of one's eating habits, health, and life. If you want to learn more about NEDA, visit its website at www.nationaleatingdisorders.org and follow @NEDAstaff on Twitter.

The National Eating Disorders Association's Hotline is 1(800) 931-2237.