Demi Lovato makes heartbreaking admission as she opens up about eating disorder

Demi Lovato has opened up about her eating disorder recovery amid the release of her cookbook marking 'a celebration of how far' she's come.

The Disney Channel star turned musician landed her first acting role around the age of seven years old and has grown up in the public eye ever since.

The 33-year-old, who goes by she/they pronouns, has spoken openly about her struggles in the limelight alongside with her substance abuse, body image and eating disorders.

Lovato has used her position and social media platforms, alongside creating documentaries such as Dancing with the Devil and her memoir to open up about her experiences in a bid to combat stigma and inspire others.

And they've most recently released their debut cookbook titled One Plate at a Time: Recipes for Finding Freedom with Food.

And in an interview with Eli Rallo as part of 92nd Street Y in New York on 17 March, Lovato opened up about just how special it is to be releasing a cookbook.

Demi Lovato has previously opened up about her struggles with her body image (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

While noting she's 'proud' of 'all' the recipes she's included in the 80 recipe book, Lovato noted it's a birthday cake recipe which is particularly special to her.

They revealed, as quoted by PEOPLE: "There's a time in my life where I wouldn't celebrate my birthdays with cakes, and so to have a birthday cake recipe in my cookbook is so meaningful and has been so rewarding."

The singer recalled there used to be a time she would 'step foot into a grocery store and break down into tears because [she] was so overwhelmed by all of the food'.

"And now I'm not only going into grocery stores and shopping myself, but I'm also cooking the meals that I'm making, and that's a huge win for me," they added.

Lovato previously opened up about her body image issues in an interview with Bustle in 2020.

The singer has since released a cookbook to help others who struggle with their relationship to food (Denise Truscello/Getty Images for TikTok)

She said: "I used to have people watching me the night before a photo shoot to make sure that I didn’t binge or eat and be swollen the next day.

"It’s just a totally different world now…I don’t prepare for photo shoots, even. I can eat Subway for breakfast."

And in an episode of Podcrushed in 2024, they detailed they had a 'treatment team' who worked with her to help her 'stay in recovery' and had been 'in recovery for bulimia for five, going on six years'.

Lovato said: "I’m trying to learn body acceptance rather than body positivity."

And Lovato's new book follows a similar thread, its Amazon description noting it 'emphasises enjoyment over perfection' for those who 'struggle to enjoy food without guilt and for anyone looking for a gentler, more grounded approach to cooking'.

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article and would like to speak with someone in confidence, call the BEAT Eating Disorders helpline on 0808 801 0677. Helplines are open 3pm-8pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can try the one-to-one webchat.