Christians experiencing eating disorders encounter the same types of struggles as people with eating disorders who are not Christian. However, having a Christian faith can at times both add unique challenges, and offer a valuable resource for recovery. We hope that the information here might help you to navigate this space, whether you are struggling with eating yourself or seeking to understand and support others. Further information specifically for people who are struggling with eating, those who are supporting a friend, family member or member of their faith community, Christian leaders and healthcare providers is also available.
One way of thinking about Christian faith is as a journey. Not a straightforward and uncomplicated journey, but one with twists, turns, ups, downs and roundabouts. Eating disorders could be thought about in a similar way.
For Christians, these two journeys – their faith and the eating disorder – can become intertwined. A person’s Christian faith can influence their eating disorder, and their eating disorder can also influence their faith. Depending on the nature of their interaction, this can be helpful and/or unhelpful.
