With eating disorders on the rise, the the New Jersey state Assembly Community Development and Women’s Affairs Committee advanced several key bills to provide support and treatment of these serious disorders.

Affecting people of all ages and backgrounds, these conditions often go unnoticed until they cause serious physical and mental harm. With anorexia having the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder, these bills are a critical move toward providing better care and prevention.

“Too many people struggle in silence due to stigma, lack of awareness, or barriers to care,” said Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-Bergen, Passaic), Chair of the Assembly Community Development and Women’s Affairs Committee. “Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening conditions, and it is crucial that we take action to break down these obstacles. These bills represent an important step toward ensuring that everyone in need has access to the treatment and support they deserve.”

Committee members approved several pieces of legislation, including:

A4982 which would prohibit health insurance carriers in New Jersey from using a person’s body weight as a factor in determining coverage for eating disorder treatment. Currently, insurance companies often rely on metrics like Body Mass Index (BMI) to approve or deny treatment, despite growing criticism that BMI is an inaccurate measure of an individual’s health. This practice has led to coverage denials even when patients exhibit serious eating disorder symptoms. By eliminating weight-based eligibility criteria, this bill ensures that individuals receive necessary medical care based on clinical needs rather than arbitrary weight standards.

A4983 would require athletic trainers and coaches of interscholastic sports, cheerleading and dance programs, and collegiate sports to complete a student-athlete eating disorder awareness training program developed by the Commissioner of Education. Research shows that student-athletes, particularly those in weight-sensitive sports like gymnastics, wrestling, and dance, are at a heightened risk of developing eating disorders due to pressure to maintain specific body weights. Without proper awareness, these conditions often go unnoticed until they lead to severe health complications.

A4984 would mandate the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to expand the NJ Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) program to include eating disorder awareness, prevention, and counseling. This bill would require the organization to conduct community-based needs assessments to determine gaps in eating disorder services and implement appropriate programs for students in grades K-12.