March 30, 2022
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW) is an annual campaign to educate the public about the realities of eating disorders and connect people with life-saving support. LCWA client and one of the nation’s largest and leading eating disorder platforms, Monte Nido & Affiliates, leveraged NEDAW last month to spread awareness about the nearly 29 million Americans that experience an eating disorder in their lifetime, and the importance of early intervention in the road to recovery.
Sharing these life-changing resources is more important than ever, as the pandemic has brought on a major mental health crisis in the U.S. For those struggling with eating disorders, the isolation, lack of structure and heightened anxiety caused by the pandemic can act as triggers. New research shows eating disorder hospitalizations doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline reported a 107% increase in calls since March of 2020.
Leading up to NEDAW, our team emphasized these statistics to national and targeted local media outlets in the hope of educating people about the warning signs of and treatment options for eating disorders. Through these efforts, our team secured national and local stories featuring four different Monte Nido & Affiliates spokespeople. Coverage included 16 TV segments across three target media markets, like this segment from NBC Miami, and a national story with Everyday Health. Overall, the media coverage secured by our team totaled more than 25.5 million impressions.
Founded in 1996, Monte Nido & Affiliates operates 45 programs in 13 states. With the prevalence of eating disorders on the rise, they are working tirelessly to change current statistics by connecting individuals across all walks of life to the life-saving care and support they need, as early intervention can be a major factor in recovery. Monte Nido & Affiliates includes five distinct eating disorder program brands: Monte Nido, Clementine, Oliver-Pyatt Centers, Walden Behavioral Care and Rosewood Centers.