Katie Couric has opened up about her past battle with bulimia. The author of upcoming memoir Going There told People that her fixation on weight began at a young age as she felt pressure to look a certain way growing up, and several fans have since rushed to both support her, and to share their own experiences with eating disorders.
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Katie said: "I think there was an aspect of perfectionism and high achieving that was very much a part of our family, and that contributed to my discontent about my body.
Katie Couric battled with bulimia as a teenager
"There was so much pressure on women, and dieting was so much a part of the culture. Like so many women of our generation, I aspired to be thin and lanky and all the things I'm not. I think back on my formative years when Twiggy was all the rage and that period of time in the '60s. And there seemed to be an ideal body type, which was extremely thin."
Katie added that her she and her sisters would discuss their weight, and encourage each other to lose more.
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She has since shared a shot from her cover shoot with People, and her followers took to the comments section. One wrote: "Thank you for opening up about your eating disorder. EDs are the most deadly mental health condition and for those they don't kill, they leave deep scars."
Another added: "I think many females struggle with eating disorders so your book can bring it out in the spotlight. I think we all have our struggles and of course they do not go public, they lie within ourselves."
Katie said she battled with bulimia for seven or eight years, but affirms that she has now cemented a healthier relationship with food, and hasn’t weighed herself for five years.
You can find more information and advice on eating disorders via the National Eating Disorders Assocation.
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