What is osteoporosis? America’s Got Talent alum Jackie Evancho opens up about her medical condition

America's Got Talent (AGT) alum Jackie Evancho has opened up about her health condition, revealing that her eating disorder has led to osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and brittle.

She has struggled with an eating disorder since her teen days but discovered its impact on her bones last year when she was hospitalized following a January 2021 car accident, which broke her back in two places.

In an interview with People, the talented singer opened up about her condition, saying:

“They were abnormal breaks, breaks that you see in 80-year-olds. That's how I learned that my eating problems created osteoporosis. So now I'm a 22-year-old with osteoporosis."

All about former AGT alum Jackie Evancho's health condition

Despite being diagnosed with osteoporosis, Jackie Evancho didn't immediately address her food issues. She said:

"I had to eat [for my bones] to heal, and that really messed me up with my eating problems, because I was gaining weight to heal. Once I finally healed, my disorder said, 'OK, now you've got to be really hard on yourself to get all of that out of you . . . and then some.'"

Evancho's battle with anorexia began when she was 15 years old. She decided "to start to mildly diet and start working out regularly" after she noticed she looked "little bigger to myself. But when her efforts did not pay off, she "started to go days without eating" despite knowing "that this isn't normal."

At 17, Evancho started taking outpatient treatment for the disorder, but things went out of control during the pandemic. She shared:

"The urge to restrict what I'm eating, on top of eating because I'm bored, and panic because I have this distorted view of myself in the mirror . . . it made everything really difficult. There weren't distractions during COVID."

But now, The Masked Singer contestant wants to be healthy and sees a nutritionist and therapist and undergoes eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), which as per emdr.com, is a "psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences."

Speaking about her ordeal, Jackie Evancho said:

“I'm still struggling, but I'm fighting, which is good because a year ago I was giving in to it completely, and that's so dark and painful. I'm not healthy yet, but I have been able to implement healthy coping skills and better eating habits."

Jackie Evancho finished second on AGT Season 5 in 2010 when she was 10 and has released seven albums that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart. She will release her ninth LP, Carousel of Time, in September.

What is osteoporosis and its symptoms?

As per the Mayo Clinic, osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle. The bones become so brittle that a fall or mild stress such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. The fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist, or spine.

Osteoporosis is caused when the formation of new bones cannot take over the loss of old bones.

Symptoms of osteoporosis

Lower s*x hormones, excessive thyroid hormones, overactive parathyroid and adrenal glands along with low calcium intake, eating disorders, gastrointestinal surgery, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and a sedentary lifestyle may lead to osteoporosis. Over a period of time, signs and symptoms may include:

Back pain caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra
A bone that breaks much more easily than expected
Loss of height over time
A stooped posture

Good and balanced nutrition containing calcium and vitamins and regular exercise can help bones stay healthy throughout life, lowering the risk of osteoporosis.