It's eating Disorders Awareness Week
(Blog written by Dr Maria Vidal, Principal Psychologist, Psychological Support Service at Barts Health).
“1.2 million people in the UK are living with an eating disorder right now and behind each one, there is a network of loved ones struggling too” (Rethink.org)
Eating disorder awareness week is hosted by Beat* and runs from 27 February until 5 March. It’s aim – to highlight how many people struggle with their relationship with food. Eating issues can be incredibly complex – we have to eat food to live so if we have a poor relationship with food, we can’t simply ‘give it up’ and it can feel overwhelming and shameful.
‘Eating disorders’ are serious mental health difficulties that involve disordered eating behaviour. This might mean limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities of food at once, getting rid of food (e.g. purging, laxative misuse or excessive exercise), or a combination of these behaviours. It’s important to remember that eating disorders are not all about food itself, but about feelings. The way the person interacts with food may make them feel more or less in control.
Facts ad Figures
- Approximately 1.25 Million people in the UK have an eating disorder*
- Around 25% of those are male*
- Recent research from the NHS information centre showed that up to 6.4% of adults displayed signs of an eating disorder*
Eating disorders often start during teenage years or early adulthood and can be as a way to control emotions. However, this is not exclusive, and you can develop issues as an adult. If untreated, they can lead to serious physical health issues and make it difficult to enjoy many aspects of daily life.
In general, eating issues can be seen on a ‘spectrum’ and sometimes be connected with:
- Everyday pressures (time, shift work)
- Lifestyle
- Finances,
- Education/awareness
- Access to healthy eating options.
- Societal pressure to be the ‘right kind’ of shape and size.
We are frequently bombarded with messages to eat ‘or not eat in a certain way. This can make us feel that we have to live by rules to be a certain weight which can make us miserable. In addition, we may also have to radically shift our relationship with food based on a physical health diagnosis or after starting medical treatments. We may have metabolic issues that make it incredibly difficult for us to control our weight but still feel pressure to conform. This complex network of emotions can determine the way we eat and our relationship with food. Food can make us happy and it can also make us sad.
So, what can help with these complex issues?
- A first step may be to gently become more aware of what and why you eat. Kindness and self-compassion are incredibly important here.
- Are you eating for your head or your stomach? Is it because you’ve had an argument with your manager or because it’s lunchtime and you genuinely need some fuel. Eat for wellness, strength and energy. Treats can be welcome.
- Routine and balance – having regular meals and healthy snacks can help balance our sugar levels throughout the day and give us energy. Restricting our diet can potentially lead us to eating more later on.
Other links and resources include:
*https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
The Weight Escape: Stop fad dieting, start losing weight and reshape your life using cutting edge psychology. Ciarrochi, Bailey & Harris (2015)
The Compassionate Mind Guide to Ending Overeating. Ken Goss (2011)