Katie Couric’s new talk show tackles the serious issue of eating disorders in America with her September 24 episode featuring Demi Lovato.
The star, singer, and host of X Factor tells Couric her personal story of her rise to fame and how, along with it, she developed an eating disorder that almost killed her. Lovato speaks out against our culture’s obsession with thinness and body image by explaining how she defeated her demon before it spiraled out of control.
On the show, Couric herself admits that she’s had past issues with body image. The 55-year-old talk show host opened up about an eating disorder that she kept quiet for a long time. “I wrestled with bulimia all through college and for two years after that,” she said. “I know this rigidity, this feeling that if you eat one thing that’s wrong, you’re full of self-loathing and then you punish yourself.” Whether it’s one cookie or a stick of gum that isn’t sugarless, sometimes [I would] beat myself up for that. That is such a huge thing for people who wrestle with this.”
Eating disorders are widespread in our culture, and many times go unnoticed until it’s too late. The show highlights women of all ages, not just the average ages of 18-25, who have battled or are still fighting an eating disorder. More and more women (as well as men) are developing anorexia or bulimia later in life, and many women unwittingly teach their daughters the same pattern of destructive eating. Couric shares some of their stories, the best treatments for eating disorders, and what parents can do to teach their children healthy eating.
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