Billie Jean King Opens up About the Weight Loss Drug That Helped Her Overcome a Binge-Eating Disorder
The tennis icon shares that she's 'in a great place' now
Trigger warning: This article discusses eating disorders
Tennis legend Billie Jean King has spent decades breaking barriers, from winning 39 Grand Slam titles to fighting for equal pay in sports. But off the court, the “Battle of the Sexes” champion has faced her own battles, including struggles with weight, an eating disorder and type 2 diabetes. Now King, 80, has opened up about her health and how a new approach, including the use of a GLP-1 medication, has helped her feel better than ever. Here’s what to know about Billie Jean King’s health and weight loss journey.
Billie Jean King struggled with binge-eating
In April 2024, King appeared on Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ podcast Wiser Than Me, where she opened up about her decades-long battle with disordered eating. She revealed that she still grapples with binge eating daily. “Every morning I wake up, I tell myself I have an eating disorder,” she said on the podcast. “I still go to therapy. I still think about it.”
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King first sought treatment in her early 50s when she checked into The Renfrew Center, an inpatient eating disorder clinic, for six weeks. “I was going through all my sexuality, oh my God, it was a mess. And that I think caused a lot of my eating disorder as well,” she said. King attended therapy three times a week and has continued to seek support ever since.
What is a binge-eating disorder?
Binge-eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in the U.S. It consists of “repeated instances where a person rapidly eats an excessive amount of food while experiencing no control over their eating behavior,” explains Heather Rosen, PhD, an eating disorder specialist at Psychology Partners Group.
This, she continues, often leads to “numerous physical and mental health issues, including diabetes and heart disease, along with nutritional problems and sleep difficulties. Plus it increases the chances of developing anxiety and depression.”
Why Billie Jean King turned to weight loss drugs
In her conversation with Louis-Dreyfus, King also revealed that her doctor recommended she try GLP-1 medications, commonly prescribed for diabetes and weight loss. These medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, have gained popularity for their ability to regulate appetite, too, which some doctors think could actually help treat eating disorders like BED.
“I’ve taken a few injections now,” she shared. However, the former tennis player emphasized she wasn’t looking for a quick fix: “I don’t want to lose weight fast because I think it’s unhealthy. I would like to lose it slowly.”
Her therapist asked if the medication helped “quiet the noise” in her mind, a reference to the inner dialogue that often accompanies eating disorders. King described the exhausting mental battle she faces daily.
“With an eating disorder, I have two voices in my head that sometimes argue,” she said. “Let’s say I want a quart of ice cream. One side will say, ‘Yeah, baby, I’m going to have that ice cream no matter what.’ And the other side says, ‘No, don’t do that. It’s not healthy. You don’t need it.’”
King admitted that if the injections helped ease this mental struggle, she would be open to continuing them. “[Food noise] gets exhausting and tiring. And I don’t wanna fight over these things,” she explained.
Can weight loss drugs quiet food noise?
While GLP-1 medications are primarily used for diabetes and weight loss, they also have an interesting effect on individuals with a history of disordered eating. In particular, they may have a positive effect in reducing food noise. “Food noise is consuming and often associated with obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors,” explains Shari Botwin, LCSW, therapist and author of Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing.
“GLP-1 medications can help with food intake, appetite and hunger,” Botwin continues. “However, these medications do not address the underlying issues of binge eating symptoms.”
Instead, Botwin recommends therapy first for those struggling and speaking with your doctor before using any medications. In combination, they are more likely to “help people develop alternative coping mechanisms to replace the eating disorder behaviors.”
Billie Jean King on her diabetes diagnosis
In addition to her struggles with eating, King has also faced another major health challenge: type 2 diabetes. Her diagnosis in 2007 didn’t come as a surprise to King, who shared that the disease runs in her family.
In her 2021 autobiography, All In, King detailed how binge eating also likely led to her diagnosis. “I was a binge eater. I don’t binge eat anymore, but for about 10 years, I was being very cruel to my poor little pancreas,” she wrote.
For King, maintaining a healthy weight became not just a personal goal, but a medical necessity. “My blood sugar is pretty good most of the time—if I’m eating right, exercising and taking my medication,” she continued. “I’m trying to pay attention to my intake. Because I love to eat. I just have to deal.”
How Billie Jean King manages her BED today
Recovery from an eating disorder requires a multifaceted approach. Therapy, nutritional counseling and self-care strategies all play a crucial role in managing BED. King credits therapy with helping her navigate not just her relationship with food, but also life’s broader challenges.
“[Aging] is tough physically, there’s no question, and also for your mind,” she told Louis-Dreyfus. “But emotionally, I am so happy compared to my young days. I’ve worked at it through therapy, through thinking, through just going through tough times. But I just emotionally am in such a great place now.”
King’s willingness to speak openly about her struggles sheds light on an often misunderstood disorder. Her message is clear: Recovery is a lifelong process, but with the right support, it’s possible to find peace.
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