Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) is this Sunday, February 23, through Sunday, March 2. A campaign created by the National Eating Disorders Association, EDAW was created to draw public attention to disordered eating and body dissatisfaction.

• You can learn more about the campaign,
• Find out what�s happening in your area, and
• Check out ways to improve how you feel about your body�and yourself

Eating disorders and poor body image are serious problems faced by girls and guys. (You can read a male eating-disorder survivor�s story here.) One study of high-school students found that 44 percent of females and 15 percent of males �reported that they were trying to lose weight, and approximately 1 out of 20 students reported using diet pills or laxatives to lose weight,� according to the Harvard Eating Disorders Center (HEDC), in Cambridge, MA. And more than 90 percent of those with eating disorders are teen girls.

But you probably don�t need statistics to know how serious a problem these disorders are among teens. Chances are high that you or a loved one has suffered from an eating disorder. The HEDC Web site has lots of information, plus a section under �Resource Room� called �Finding Help.� If you suffer from an eating disorder, the �Finding Help� section can put you in touch with health professionals.

Take a look at past Sex Matters features.