Dancer Sanna Sokol Opens Up About Years-Long Battle With Eating Disorder Amid Weight Comments

Sanna Sokol, a dancer currently appearing on the Israeli show "Dancing with the Stars" alongside actor and model Bar Brimer, revealed her long struggle with an eating disorder in response to recent comments about her weight. On Monday, she shared on Instagram a moment from that morning when an older woman told her, "You have to eat something, you’re a skeleton," highlighting the frequent remarks she receives such as "What happened to you?" and "Is it because of the Dancing with the Stars training?"

Sokol explained that her preoccupation with weight has followed her since childhood, growing up in a competitive environment with strict training schedules, rigid diets, and constant weight-related comments. She identified these experiences as part of her eating disorder, describing periods of both overeating and starvation as attempts to break free from harmful mental patterns. "From a young age, I was taught that thinness equals success and that food must always be controlled," she said.

She admitted it took years to confront her eating disorder and acknowledged it might never fully disappear. However, she emphasized that she is now in a healthier place, eating, exercising, and striving for balance in body and mind. Sokol urged people to think twice before commenting on someone’s weight, noting that one never knows the personal struggles behind appearances. She hopes her message will help others, especially young women, understand that success is not linked to thinness and that it is possible to enjoy food without guilt and love one’s body. "Our health is much more than a number on the scale," she concluded.

Sanna Sokol’s candid disclosure sheds light on the pressures faced by performers and the importance of mental health awareness regarding eating disorders.