Olympic Skier Says She 'Would Have Died' After Inducing Vomiting 5 Times a Day Over Eating Disorder
Olympic champion Jessie Diggins said she believes she 'would have died' without treatment after an eating disorder led her to induce vomiting as often as five times a day.
The 35-year-old American cross-country skier described the severity of her illness during a mental health event at Montana State University on 29 October 2026. At the event, she spoke about developing an eating disorder at 18.
Diggins said her difficulties grew from feelings of perfectionism and a desire for control before rapidly affecting much of her daily life. She said her condition eventually became so serious that her mother would check on her during the night to make sure she was still alive.
Diggins Says Eating Disorder Escalated Rapidly
The Olympian said she started dividing food into categories and became increasingly frightened of eating. After one breakfast, she induced vomiting in a petrol station bathroom, and the behaviour developed into a repeated pattern that could occur up to five times in a single day.
She described reaching a point where the disorder had overwhelmed her ability to control her behaviour and left her deeply unhappy.
Diggins said that professional treatment ultimately prevented the illness from becoming fatal. Her parents enrolled her in The Emily Program, an organisation specialising in eating disorder treatment, where she received intensive care five days a week.
She has described the recovery process as more difficult than the training and competition required to become an Olympic champion.
Treatment Helped Diggins Return to Elite Sport
Diggins later became one of the most successful cross-country skiers in US history. She and Kikkan Randall won the United States' first Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games.
Diggins subsequently collected medals at the 2022 Beijing and 2026 Milano Cortina Games. Team USA lists her as a four-time Olympian and four-time Olympic medallist.
Her recovery has not been entirely linear. In 2023, she disclosed that she had experienced a relapse and said she would prioritise her health over competitive results, declining to set performance goals for the season. Diggins has continued discussing eating disorders publicly and has worked as an advocate for awareness and treatment, including through The Emily Program.
Repeated Vomiting Can Cause Serious Medical Complications
Bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders involving repeated purging can become life-threatening without appropriate treatment. The National Health Service (NHS) says frequent vomiting can contribute to dental and throat damage, seizures and problems involving the heart and kidneys.
Vomiting can also disturb the body's electrolyte balance, including potassium levels, which can affect a person's normal heart rhythm.
Medical guidance also warns that severe purging can require monitoring because electrolyte imbalance, dehydration and abnormal heart rhythms may develop. Treatment can vary according to a person's symptoms and medical condition.
The Emily Program offers several levels of treatment, including programmes providing structured therapy and supported meals five days a week.
Diggins has said that receiving treatment allowed her not only to recover but also to continue the sporting career that followed. Team USA reported in October 2026 that she credits getting help with making her eventual Olympic success possible.