Written by: Jenah Park

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

As believers, we are called to honor God with every part of our lives—including our bodies. Yet for many of us, the relationship we have with food and our physical selves is marked by fear, control, shame, or confusion rather than freedom and peace.

While eating disorders are far more common than most realize, they often go unnoticed or minimized within faith communities.

A crucial step toward the compassion and healing God desires for us is better understanding these struggles.

We often mistakenly think an eating disorder is simply about food or weight. In reality, it is a disordered relationship with one’s self. It might show up as restricting food, overeating, or feeling a frightening loss of control. Some of us may find ourselves using behaviors like purging or overexercising to “compensate” for what we’ve eaten.

Contrary to common belief, these aren’t always caused by low self-esteem alone; they are complex mental health conditions influenced by our emotions, our environments, and even our biology.

When we talk about these struggles, we often use labels like Anorexia, Bulimia, or Binge-Eating Disorder. We might think we know what those look like, but the reality is often hidden.

Many individuals appear “fine” on the outside while struggling deeply on the inside. You might notice a loved one becoming preoccupied with food, avoiding meals, or showing increased rigidity and anxiety around the dinner table.

Because less than 6% of people with eating disorders are medically underweight, these struggles can go unnoticed for a long time.

There is rarely a single cause for an eating disorder. Often, they develop from a combination of factors: perfectionism, trauma, or major life transitions like college or a high-stress season. Sometimes, it’s a way to feel in control when life feels overwhelming.

We must also recognize that chronic dieting significantly increases the risk, often reinforcing a “fear mentality” or a “scarcity mentality.” Over time, what started as a diet can turn into a painful cycle of restriction and shame.

This matters deeply because eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness.

They affect children, men, and individuals of all body sizes, frequently co-occurring with anxiety or depression.

As the Church, we are uniquely positioned to respond with truth, grace, and understanding. Honoring God with our bodies does not mean striving for perfection—it means moving toward care and nourishment.

February 23 – 27, 2026 is Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Check out our most recent episode of the MercyTalk podcast to hear the real story from a recent Mercy graduate as she shares about her experience battling an eating disorder.

To learn more about eating disorders and find help, check out our Signs and Symptoms page. It shares powerful resources and more valuable information.

Mercy Multiplied offers programs and resources that help people find freedom in Christ. Find out more at https://mercymultiplied.com/.

If you or someone you love is struggling, please know this: An eating disorder is not a spiritual failure. Recovery is possible, and seeking help is an act of courage, not weakness. Our bodies are temples—not projects to be fixed, punished, or controlled, but gifts entrusted to us by a loving God.