Sarah Hyland took to Twitter Wednesday to push back against rumors among fans that she had been dealing with anorexia.
The 26-year-old actress is fairly open about her health struggles and explained that her weight loss was a result of medical issues. Hyland has a condition called kidney dysplasia and underwent a kidney transplant surgery in 2012. Hyland said in her statement that she was responding to discussions about her body among fans that she said were happening on Twitter and in comments on her Instagram posts.
“Which made me laugh, but then it dawned on me that young girls are reading posts saying that I’m promoting anorexia due to my weight,” Hyland wrote. “While these comments don’t affect me, they may affect others. So I’m here to say that no one should aim to be the weight I am at right now.”
It’s been a rough year, but she isn’t ready to discuss her struggles just yet, Hyland said in her post. Back in January, Hyland skipped the SAG Awards due to undisclosed health issues. She informed fans in her statement that she’s been on bed rest for the last few months, resulting in a loss of muscle mass.
“My circumstances have put me in a place where I’m not in control of what my body looks like,” Hyland wrote.
The actress’ condition, kidney dysplasia, is a condition that occurs when cysts filled with fluid grow where normal tissue is supposed to develop. Hyland underwent a transplant after her father donated his kidney to her. According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than 100,000 individuals in America are on the waiting list for a transplant.
“I’m a 26-year-old woman who goes through more than you can even imagine on a daily basis,” Hyland wrote. “But I work hard. I love hard. And I got to where I am because I am STRONG and didn’t give up. “
If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorder Association hotline at 1-800-931-2237.