Eating Disorders Awareness Bill Now in Committee

The Eating Disorders Awareness, Prevention, and Education Act of 2009, a bill introduced in January by Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL) is designed to provide states, local school districts and parents with means and flexibility to increase awareness of, to identify, and to help students with eating disorders. H.R. Bill 26 will amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to add a study on the impact eating disorders have on educational advancement and achievement. The study will be conducted by the Center of Education Statistics and the National Center for Health Statistics.

In addition to determining the prevalence of eating disorders among students and the morbidity and mortality rates associated with eating disorders, the study hopes to evaluate the extent to which students with eating disorders are more likely to miss school, have delayed rates of development, or have reduced cognitive skills. Another law, The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, will become effective in January 2010. This law prohibits insurance plans from imposing treatment limitations and financial requirements that are more restrictive than medical and surgical benefits.