Taylor Swift while performing. Author; Raph. Wikimedia

35 Famous People And Celebrities Who Struggled With Eating Disorders


 

Eating disorders are a classification of mental disorders. An eating disorder can be defined as abnormal eating behaviors that affect a person’s physical and mental health negatively. Eating Disorders can be classified further into several examples.

These are some examples of eating disorders: binge eating disorder where an individual consumes a lot in a short period of time, and anorexia nervosa where an individual has fear of weight gain and restricts food intake. Bulimia nervosa is when people eat a lot of food and try to get rid of themselves of food.

Pica, where individuals consume non-food things, rumination syndrome where a person regurgitates undigested food, and restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) where individuals are selective of food they consume due to psychological issues. Obesity has never been classified as an eating disorder.

Several people have been struggling with various eating disorders which made them change their daily routines. Famous people and celebrities like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift came out and revealed how they struggled with eating disorders. Here are the 35 Famous People And Celebrities Who Struggled With Eating Disorders:

1. Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga at Joe Biden’s inauguration. Author; Carlos M. Wikimedia

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta who is popularly known by her name Lady Gaga is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She is renowned for her talent, musical versatility, and image reinventions.

Lady Gaga came out in 2012 and spoke about how she struggled with eating disorders from a tender age. She used to suffer from bulimia.

Lady Gaga stated: “I used to throw up all the time in high school. So I’m not that confident. I wanted to be a skinny little ballerina but I was a voluptuous little Italian girl whose dad had meatballs on the table every night. It made my voice bad, so I had to stop.”

2. Jane Fonda

American actress, activist, and former fashion model also suffered from eating disorders which she battled for a long. Jane revealed that she suffered from bulimia which had a great impact on her life and affected people close to her including her mother.

She stated: “It was in my 40s, and if you suffer from bulimia, the older you get, the worse it gets. It takes longer to recover from a bout … I had a career, I was winning awards, I was supporting non-profits, and I had a family. I had to make a choice: I live or I die.”

3. Candace Cameron Bure

Candace Cameron Bure. Author; Gage Skidmore. Wikimedia

American actress, author, producer, and media personality Candace also suffered from eating disorders which took a toll on her life. She revealed that her condition began when she moved to Montreal for her husband’s career in hockey. That is when she joined the binge-eating cycle.

“I got into a cycle of binge-eating and feeling guilty and shame for it, that I would start purging. Without knowing, it took over to a point where you feel such a loss of control.” Candace revealed her condition in 2016.

4. Shawn Johnson East

Olympic gold medallist Shawn Johnson also had the same experience with eating disorders. These came hand in hand with body struggles. Shawn once revealed that she had to cut down to eating 700 calories a day.

She revealed how she used to be strong, powerful, muscly, and bulky which many people wanted her to reduce and become thinner and leaner. Shawn divulged to eating less and also restricting herself. “I had to literally stop eating any carbs. I never had a single noodle of soup. This got me to a point my body was shutting down.” Shawn revealed.

5. Jessica Alba

American businesswoman and actress Jessica Marie Alba who began her career at the age of 13 is another celebrity who struggled with eating disorders. Jessica is known for maintaining her beautiful curves which she once stated that they were tempting men.

In 2019 when she appeared on the panel of In Good Health, she revealed how she was forced to reduce her eating and reduce her weight to avoid attention. “I had to reduce eating when I started acting and looking like a boy. I never wanted all the attention.” Jessica Alba stated.

6. Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift while performing. Author; Raph. Wikimedia

Renowned American songwriter and musician Taylor Swift is another top artist who shared her piece about her eating disorders. Taylor Swift is best known for her talent in singing various genres of music. Paparazzi have always been at her back, which affected her eating habits as she wanted to look nice.

In her Netflix documentary, Taylor Swift spoke about the eating disorders she faced. “I assumed I was meant to feel like I was going to pass out at the end or in the middle of a show. No, if you consume food, have energy, and get stronger, you can do all of these shows and not feel it, which is a really good discovery because I’m a lot happy with who I am, and I don’t care as much if someone points out that I’ve gained weight.” Taylor Swift stated.

7. Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato in an interview in 2020. Author; VOGUE Taiwan. Wikimedia

American songwriter, actor, and singer Demi Lovato is another famous person who shared her eating disorders. Demi Lovato who has always maintained her public figure spoke about how food has always been her biggest challenge.

In her 2017 YouTube documentary known as Simply Complicated, Demi Lovato revealed she began singing at the age of 8 and went for 3 years without purging. All this time, she was dating her long-time boyfriend but all changed when they broke up. She revealed how feeling lonely made her get hungry and ended up binging.

8. Katie Couric

Katherine Anne Couric who was born on 7th January 1957 is a journalist and presenter. She is also the founder and owner of Katie Couric Media which is a multimedia news and production company.

In 2012, she opened up about her struggles with bulimia while in college and two years after graduating. She revealed on how she used to restrict herself from some meals and maintain low calories during her eating disorder struggles.

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9. Gabourey Sidibe

Gabourey Sidibe. Author; John Matthew. Wikimedia

Gabourey is a famous actress who made her debut in 2009 in the film Precious. This role earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead and many more followed.

Gabourey revealed how she struggled with bulimia whereby when she was sad and wanted to stop crying, she used to eat and throw up. After that, she used to relax and distract herself from her troubles. This went on for some time.

10. Stacy London

Stacy London was born on 25th May 1969 and is a fashion consultant, author, and magazine director from the United States. She is best known as the co-host of What Not to Wear, a reality television show that highlighted wardrobe and appearance makeovers.

In 2012, Stacy revealed how she struggled and dealt with anorexia and compulsive overeating. She was 90 pounds which needed urgent help that she received and doubled her weight through binge eating. After this turn of events, Stacy learned how to appreciate herself and her body.

11. Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul at The X Factor USA Backstage 2011. Author; Alison Martin. Wikimedia

American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and TV personality Paula Julie Abdul is another individual who dealt with eating disorders. Paula battled eating disorders for years from the age of 16.

She used to throw up after having her dinner with friends. These habits made her start binging and purging, as well as an unhealthy round of exercise daily for four hours.

12. Hillary Duff

Hillary Duff is an American singer and actress who has received major accolades over the years. At the age of 17, she weighed 98 pounds and her eating habits were below par.

She spoke about her eating disorders by saying: “I was so obsessed with anything I used to put in my mouth. I was way too skinny and felt not cute. My body wasn’t that healthy and my hands would cramp up a lot because I wasn’t getting the nutrition I needed.” However, she changed her mentality and everything changed.

13. Lucy Hale

Lucy Hale in a campaign for Kyleena. Author; Joey D’Amato. Wikimedia

Karen Lucille Hale, an American singer, and actress also had struggles with eating disorders. In 2022, she revealed how she used to go for days without eating and if she had to eat, it could be a fruit or some juice.

After her starvation, she could go to the gym for three hours. However, she made a major turnaround to this eating disorder and embraced herself.

14. Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John CH CBE is a renowned British singer, pianist, and composer. He has had major success in his career by selling over 300 million records worldwide.

Elton John has always come out and spoken about his addictions which he overcame including eating disorders. He revealed that he was bulimic for 6 years where he used to eat a lot, and gained more weight but could not stop eating.  He could gorge and then become sick, but he overcame all these.

15. Troian Bellisario

Troian Bellisario in Manila. Author; Troian. Wikimedia

Troian Avery Bellisario who is an actress revealed how she used her eating disorder to punish herself as a teenager. She revealed that she used to withhold eating so that she could harm herself. However, all her habits could backfire as she later decided to change them.

16. Kesha

Kesha Rose Sebert popularly known as Kesha is a renowned singer and songwriter. She began her career at the age of 18 in 2005 when she was signed to Kemosabe Records.

Her eating disorder made her feel that being hungry to the point of fainting was the right thing. She wanted to maintain a cool public image which could hurt and make her unhappy but people used to be happy and praise her. She had to seek rehab help and realized how much she had hurt herself and changed.

17. Portia de Rossi

Portia de Rossi. Author; John Matthew. Wikimedia

Portia Lee James DeGeneres who is popularly known by her professional name Portia de Rossi is an Australian-American former actress. Portia’s eating disorder began when she was a model as a pre-teen as she could sometime forgo eating.

She had even decided to go down to 300 calories a day as she was binging. “That was my diet. Ever since I was 12 years old, I would starve myself daily and then binge after the job was over. And that was just the diet I returned to every single time I needed to lose weight.”

However, she later discovered the harm she was putting herself into. She decided to love herself the way she was and turned around the eating disorders.

18. Lily Collins

British actress and model Lily Jane Collins is another celebrity who battled with an eating disorder. Lily suffered from the disorder for several years.

She could restrict herself from food intake, binging, and purging. What was worse is that she could use laxatives and diet pills in the process. However, she recognized that she was doing self-harm to herself and decided to work on being healthy.

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19. Zayn Malik

Portrait photograph of Zayn Malik in 2015. Author; First Access Entertainment. Wikimedia

Zain Javadd Malik who is famously known as Zayn Malik is a British Singer. He rose up to prominence after auditioning as a solo contestant for the X Factor, a British music competition television series In 2010. In 2016, Zayn revealed how he could go for several days without eating which affected him negatively. However, he managed to make a major turnaround from the eating disorders.

20. Camila Mendes

Camila Carraro Mendes is a renowned actress and singer who is majorly known for her role in the Riverdale series. Camila also suffered from eating disorders which she opened up about in 2019. She, however, dealt with her eating disorder after facing its negative impacts.

21. Jameel Jamil

Jameel Alia Jamil is a British actress, activist, and presenter who struggles with eating disorders. In 2018, Jamil revealed how her body shaming while in school made her change her eating habit.

She revealed that when she was in school, her class had to weigh their weight, and found herself the heaviest of all. Her fellow students began laughing at her and she became a laughingstock at school. This made her stop eating and developed full-formed anorexia and dysmorphia.

22. Zoe Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz in 2020. Author; dvna studio. Wikimedia

American singer, actress, and model Zoe Isabella Kravitz also suffered from an eating disorder too. As she grew up, Zoe knew that her rib cage was sticking out but she continued to try and lose more weight.

Zoe revealed that her eating disorders started when she was in high school. She was battling anorexia and bulimia which she fought back later in life.

23. Mel C

Melanie Jayne Chisholm famously known as Mel C is an English songwriter and media personality. Mel C got the nickname Sporty Spicy as she is a member of the Spice Girls.

She struggled had major struggles during her time in the group one of them being eating disorders. She had to keep her Wright down which made her take drastic measures like cutting off carbs and proteins but survived on fruit and vegetables.

24. Nicole Scherzinger

Nicole Scherzinger, Hollywood, CA on August 14, 2012 – Photo by Glenn Francis. Wikimedia

Born on 29th June 1978, Nicole is a singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. Her lead role as a singer of the Pussycat Dolls made her renowned worldwide.

Nicole suffered eating disorder when she was growing up which she described as a difficult period of time. Her major worry was about fitting in which affected her and got dysmorphia.

25. Moly Sims

American fashion model and actress Moly Sims also had a journey with an eating disorder. She revealed on how she used to starve herself and work out extremely to get a nice shape.

“I would walk 14 kilometers a day just to prepare for Sports Illustrated. It was extremely difficult to maintain the weight you were meant to maintain. I’m genetically blessed in some respects, but having the weight be a certain size 0 was extremely difficult for me. I went a number of days without eating.” Moly stated.

26. Mary-Kate Olsen

Mary-Kate Olsen. Author; David Shankbone. Wikimedia

Mary-Kate Olsen is a businesswoman, fashion designer, equestrian, and former actor from the United States. She started her acting career nine months (in 1987) after her birth, co-starring in Full House with her twin sister Ashley Olsen as Michelle Tanner.

Kate has never spoken about her past eating disorder but she opened up about her struggles with anorexia. Mary-Kate opened up that she suffered from anorexia in 2004 which she managed to get over.

27. Lana Condor

Lana Therese condor is a producer, actress, and singer who played a major role in the film X-men. In 2022, she spoke about her struggles with eating disorders during the times she used to participate in dancing.

“I know what it’s like to have an eating disorder and body dysmorphia—and also what it’s like to be a friend to someone who has that. I think it’s time to give people comfort. You have to eat. You have to stop thinking that a certain body shape is ideal because it’s not.” Lana stated.

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28. Jade Thirlwall

The Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall also has her story of battling an eating disorder. She used to suffer from anorexia which she was satisfied with, but this caused her major problems.

Jade revealed that she used to have eating disorders which she kept to herself. Her appearance changed as she became skinny, and had to change after her doctor told her the disadvantages of moderating her eating.

29. Zosia Mamet

Mamet at the 2016 Austin Film Festival. Author; Daniel Benavides. Wikimedia

American actress and musician Zosia Russell Mamet also suffered from an eating disorder from childhood. At that age, she was body shamed as she was told that she was fat. This made her begin starving, run more, and abuse her body thereafter. However, she learned to appreciate herself and all this went down.

30. Bridget Malcom

Australian model Bridget Malcom is part of the story of how she suffered from an eating disorder. Being a model, Bridget knows what it takes to maintain that body for her job which can sometimes be harmful.

Bridget revealed that she had to work with some nutritionists from 2014 to 2017 which never worked. She was made to starve to maintain that thin frame but it was harmful to her health. During this period, she was losing everything including her relationship which made her rethink.

31. Tess Holliday

Ryann Maegen Hoven popularly known as Tess Holliday is a plus-size model who has a share experience with eating disorders. In 2021, Tess revealed that she had been suffering from anorexia which she was dealing with. She also revealed that she used to be body shamed because of her weight, but that has never affected her confidence.

32. JoJo

JoJo was interviewed in 2011. Author; Hotrick Pictures. Wikimedia

Joanna Nolle Levesque, better known as JoJo, is an American vocalist and actress who was born on December 20, 1990. As a child, she started competing in singing contests and local talent shows.

As a teenager, JoJo was put on a 500-calorie diet which came out as an eating order. She wanted to become tiny, but later came out and embraced her looks.

33. Jackie Goldschneider

TV personality Jackie Goldschneider dealt with anorexia which was taking a toll on her health. She revealed that she had to weigh everything she had to consume when she became sick at any moment.

Jackie had invented a way of dealing with hunger without eating which made her tiny. She had to deal with the condition for about ten years before she had to make a turnover.

34. Alyson Stoner

Alyson Rae Stoner, an American actress, singer, and dancer also had the side of dealing with eating disorders. In 2019, she spoke about how her fame made her get anxiety and eating disorders.

Alyson revealed that she used to forgo eating which made her become thinner to a point that she could not be allowed to audition. However, she learned how to embrace herself and decided to do away with her eating disorders and anxiety issues.

35. Jeannie Mai

Jeannie Mai. Author; Eva Rinaldi. Wikimedia

Jeannie Mai-Jenkins is an American television host and stylist well-known for her role on the makeover show How Do I Look? She else experienced an eating disorder which really affected her and her career.

“The idea of being skinny became something that was most appealing to me. Even if you watch The Real, from season 1 to season 4, I was always 100 lbs. I started to really work hard to stay petite and to not gain weight and to stay sample size.” Jeannie stated. However, she managed to come of it.

 

Eating disorders should not be something to criticize someone for as it comes to a negative impact on them. Body shaming and other vices have also caused major issues for these people. Supporting them is something they need to come out of it.

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