Every BODY Belongs

As we observe Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2026 under the theme “Every BODY Belongs,” I am finding it more important than ever to confront the new and shifting reality in today’s culture. Buzzwords like “fitness” and “wellness” are normalizing harmful behaviors and masking serious illness. In a year marked by radical changes in government nutrition policy and a booming “fitspiration” culture online and in the media, the line is blurring between health and obsession, and the fallout can be deadly. 

New Governmental Guidelines 

In January 2026, the federal government released the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines which replaced the MyPlate model we have been following since 2011. MyPlate was developed by the USDA and offered a color coded, visual guide of what a meal should look like. This model was effective, simple to understand for the average American, and gave a clear visual representation of an ideal plate. 

The new food pyramid--developed by a committee where six out of eleven members have financial ties to the meat, dairy, or egg industries--prioritizes red meat, full-fat dairy, eggs, and "whole foods," while advising Americans to completely avoid "highly processed foods" and added sugars. (1) People have asked me, “Why are you opposed to this new food pyramid? It says to eat meat, fruit, and veggies. That’s healthy. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy.”

And here’s what I say to those people:

• The new dietary guidelines are inherently confusing and hard to understand. The pyramid encourages eating “healthy fats” right at the top, but simultaneously tells users to keep their consumption of saturated fats under 10 percent. 

• Protein is the biggest focus in the new food pyramid, yet a staggering 95% of Americans do not get enough fiber in their diets. Americans aren't dying from lack of protein; they are dying from colon cancer, which can be significantly reduced with proper fiber intake.(2) Note that the majority of fiber-rich foods (oats, grains, fibrous fruits) are now at the bottom of the pyramid.

Another issue the new food pyramid raises is something eating disorder providers have been fighting against for years. It uses all or nothing language. By labeling convenient and accessible foods as “dangerous,” the guidelines validate the moralization of food, which is one of the core components of many eating disorders. 

The new food pyramid’s tagline is: “Eat real food.” So the language we are getting from the administration is that anything we eat outside of their pyramid isn’t “real.” Talk about a guilt trip if you grab a frozen pizza! And let’s not forget that they are urging everyone to “eat clean.” Not only is the term “clean eating” extremely hard to define, it’s polarizing. The tagline essentially sends the message that if you aren’t doing exactly what they say, your food choices are then “dirty.” 

Orthorexia: Taking “wellness” too far

All of this aside, I think that perhaps the biggest concern to come out of these new guidelines is what this means in the broader culture of “wellness.”

When you log online or turn on the TV, you will be bombarded with advertisements for GLP-1s, protein powders, and Creatine gummies (to name a few) all under the umbrella of “wellness culture.” In 2025, #thinspiration content on TikTok alone was viewed over 5.4 billion times. And of course, the more we interact with this content, the more they will create. This results in people exercising harder, fueling their bodies less with nutrients from their diet, and consuming large amounts of unregulated supplements. This is a problem because Orthorexia, an eating disorder categorized by the obsession with clean/healthy eating and excessive exercise, is the most rapidly growing eating disorder pattern of 2026.

Orthorexia is extremely dangerous because of how often it “flies under the radar.” Friends and family often miss signs of severe pathology because their loved one is “just being healthy!” Heck, they are probably encouraging them. The problem is, this becomes all-consuming. If you have watched a “What I Eat in A Day” video from a fitness influencer, you know that the message is: “If you don’t eat like I do, and work out like I do, your body will never look like mine.” 74% of users who follow fitness influencers report feeling dissatisfied with their bodies. 

So, why does this all matter? Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness behind opiate addiction. Eating disorders are a growing public health threat to which no one is immune. They affect people of every gender, race, age, sexuality, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, the suicide rate for eating disorder patients is 23 percent higher than the general population.  

With this information, my hope is that we can identify and provide support to those who are struggling because intervention saves lives.

This Eating Disorder Awareness Week, I challenge you to commit to the idea that Every BODY Belongs.

Help for Disordered Eating

If you or someone you love is struggling with obsessive dieting, influencer culture, or showing signs of an eating disorder, there is help available. 

• National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) helpline call or text (800)931-2237 

• Crisis Text Line: Text NEDS or HOME to 741741 (Available for free 24/7 confidential crisis support.) 

• The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness: (866)662-1235 (referrals to specialized therapists and support groups)

• FindEDhelp.com A searchable database for eating disorder treatment providers at all levels of care 

Melanie DeLapp, the Clinical Director at Positive Directions-the Center for Prevention & Counseling, is an LMFT who has specialized in working with those who struggle with eating disorders and body image concerns for the past seven years. She is passionate about educating others on the risks of dieting, fitness influencer culture, and body positivity. Melanie is a HAES-aligned provider and is currently working on obtaining her CEDS. If you have a question or would like to connect over coffee or lunch, reach out to her at: mdelapp@positivedirections.org 

Additional Reading:

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030: Progress on added sugar, protein hype, saturated fat contradictions • The Nutrition Source

• Unpacking the new dietary guidelines | Yale News

• Dietary fiber intake and risk of colorectal cancer and incident and recurrent adenoma in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial - PMC

References:

1.  New Dietary Guidelines Were Written by Authors With Strong Ties to the Food Industry, Doctors Report

   Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. from Colorectal cancer alliance.

2. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Colorectal Cancer Alliance | Prevention, Support & Research for Colorectal Cancer Elevated total dietary fiber intake was associated with a significantly reduced risk of incident distal colorectal adenoma (OR_{highest vs. lowest tertile of intake}: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.91; P-trend = 0.003) but not recurrent adenoma (P-trend = 0.67). Although the association was not statistically significant for colorectal cancer overall (HR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.03; P-trend = 0.10), a reduced risk of distal colon cancer was observed with increased total fiber intake (HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.94; P-trend = 0.03). Protective associations were most notable for fiber originating from cereals or fruit. (National Library of Medicine)