Colorado Tackles Eating Disorders by Limiting Use of BMI and Diet Pill Sales to Kids

DENVER (AP) In the midst of a surge in eating disorders across the country, Colorado's acting governor signed bills Tuesday that will create a state program dedicated to addressing the mental illness, limit the use of body mass index in determining treatment and restrict the sale of diet pills to minors.

Colorado and several other states tackling the issue are responding to the nearly 30 million Americans roughly the population of Texas who will struggle with an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia, in their lifetime. More than 10,000 people will lose their life to the condition every year, according to data cited by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

Eating disorders are serious and have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness, Vincent Atchity, CEO of Mental Health Colorado, said in a statement on the bills. We will save lives by removing barriers to care and helping those who are struggling (to) find healing."

The changes will take effect at different times, but roughly within a year.