Congress Allocates Millions to Research Eating Disorders Among Military Members and Families, Encourages National Institute of Mental Health to Increase Eating Disorder Research Funding
NEW YORK CITY — October 2, 2018 — The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders, advocated for and secured an expected $5-7 million dedicated to eating disorder research for military members and military families. The funds are a portion of the $350 million for the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP).
NEDA also advocated for and secured language encouraging the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to increase funding for eating disorders research and conduct more applied and innovative research. Both provisions were passed by Congress on September 25, 2018 within the “Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019” (H.R. 6157).
The bipartisan effort was led by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL).
“Continuing research into eating disorders provides further support and care for those struggling with them,” said Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). “The work these researchers do has the potential to help thousands of lives, and I’m so glad we’re including this important bipartisan provision in DOD funding.”
Members of the military community are at an especially high risk for eating disorders due to their intense focus on physical ability and the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder. A recent study showed 34 percent of active-duty females showed at-risk signs for an eating disorder, and children of military families are at a higher risk for developing an eating disorder than the general public.
“We are grateful for this bipartisan commitment to public health funding. Members of the armed forces are less likely to seek out treatment for an eating disorder than civilians, so prevention and access to treatment is all the more vital,” said Claire Mysko, NEDA CEO. “Legislative advocacy is one of the many ways NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders.”
The DOD’s PRMRP supports research to improve the health and wellbeing of military servicemen and women, their families, veterans and retirees. The NIMH is the leading federal agency for research on mental disorders for the public.
###
About the National Eating Disorders Association
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. NEDA supports individuals and families
affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care. Through our programs and services, NEDA raises awareness, builds communities of support and recovery, funds research and puts life-saving resources into the hands of those in need. For more information, visit www.www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Contact
Kylee Tsuru
Momentum Communications Group
281-881-0721