EATING DISORDER AWARENESS WEEK 2023

This week – 27 February – 5th March - is Eating Disorder Awareness Week and once again I participated in the annual Eating Disorder Awareness Week Westminster debate.

This very serious mental health condition can strike anyone regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or background, with profound impacts on those who develop this condition as well as their wider family unit.

The theme of this year’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week is “Eating Disorders in Men”. While often incorrectly and almost exclusively associated with young women, one in four of the 1.25 million of those with an eating disorder in the UK are male. It is important to highlight this so that young men are able to access the support they need.

The Scottish Government is supporting eating disorder charity BEAT to help provide additional support and services for people across Scotland who are affected by this cruel illness. In addition, all medical courses at Scottish universities are working with BEAT to support the delivery of further training on this condition.

While we must all work together to try and improve treatment and diagnosis for those affected, I called on the UK Government to do more to tackle the issue of dangerous online discussion forums which actively promote self-harm to those with eating disorders.

Watch my contribution to the debate below 👇.