AED members who meet the following criteria (or a combination of the criteria) are eligible to be considered for lifetime membership:
- They made significant and sustained contributions to the field of eating and related disorders. OR
- They have belonged to the Academy for a minimum of ten years or are Founding or Charter members.
- They have reached the age of 65.
- They are no longer gainfully employed. (For the purposes of this application, "no longer gainfully employed" is defined as working 25% or less of full time, or around 10 hours, on average, per week.)
Lifetime membership is subject to board approval. Prospective lifetime members can self-nominate or be nominated by another AED member, an AED Board member, or an AED committee member. Annual dues are waived for the remainder of the individual's membership. Lifetime members may vote, serve on committees, or become Board members or officers of the organization.