Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are mental health conditions where someone's relationship with food, eating, weight, or body image causes significant distress and affects daily life. The most common types are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) — but eating disorders can look very different from person to person.

They are not about vanity or attention-seeking. They are serious, complex conditions with significant physical and psychological effects. Around 1.25 million people in the UK live with an eating disorder, and they can affect anyone — regardless of gender, age, body size, or background.

Common signs of an eating disorder:
- Eating far less or far more than usual
- Eating in secret, or hiding food
- Feeling extremely preoccupied with food, weight, or body shape
- Avoiding social situations that involve food
- Using exercise compulsively to compensate for eating
- Making yourself sick after meals
- Feeling out of control around food
- Intense fear of weight gain, or a distorted view of your own body
- Physical signs such as hair loss, feeling cold, dizziness, or dental erosion

Early help makes a real difference:

The sooner an eating disorder is treated, the better the outcome. If you are worried about yourself or someone else, please do not wait until things become physically critical. It is not necessary to be at a certain weight before you deserve help — eating disorders of all severities need and deserve support.

Your GP is the first step — they can refer you to specialist eating disorder services. BEAT (the UK's leading eating disorder charity) also has a helpline and an online service finder for treatment in your area.

Supporting someone else:

If someone you love is struggling, it can be very hard to know how to help without pushing them away. BEAT has excellent guidance for families and carers at beateatingdisorders.org.uk.

When to seek urgent help:

If someone is fainting, has an irregular heartbeat, is severely underweight, or you are worried about their immediate safety, call 999 or go to A&E. Do not wait.

UK support:
BEAT Eating Disorders — 0808 801 0677 (adults) / 0808 801 0711 (young people) / www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
SEED Eating Disorders — 01482 718130
NHS — www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/eating-disorders

Sources: NHS (nhs.uk), Mind.org.uk, BEAT Eating Disorders, NICE guidelines on eating disorders