Tracey Gold Reflects on Anorexia Struggles During 'Growing Pains' and the Role of On-Set Culture

The actress shares how fat jokes, weight expectations, and a 'boys' club' environment contributed to her eating disorder during her time on the hit sitcom.

Tracey Gold, who played Carol Seaver on 'Growing Pains,' revealed that fat jokes and weight-related pressures on set contributed to her battle with anorexia.
Producers initially asked Gold to lose weight, leading her to adopt a dangerous 500-calorie diet, which eventually spiraled into severe disordered eating.
Gold described the set as having a 'boys' club' culture, with misogyny and insensitivity toward her experiences exacerbating her struggles.
Her TV mother, Joanna Kerns, intervened by urging the studio to take action, which helped Gold eventually receive treatment for her eating disorder.
Gold credits her recovery to finding her voice and later seeking help from UCLA's Eating Disorder Institute, despite the challenges of being in the public eye.