England Needs a National Eating Disorder Strategy

April 1, 2025 2

Eating disorders are serious conditions affecting eating habits. Types include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating.

England Needs a National Eating Disorder Strategy

A new study led by academics at Northumbria University, published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, highlights the growing scale of eating disorders and their impact. Approximately 1.25 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder. Among 17 to 19-year-olds in England, the prevalence has risen sharply, with 12.5% reporting a diagnosis in 2023, compared to just 0.8% in 2017. The financial burden is also significant, with the cost of eating disorders to the English economy estimated at £8 billion in 2020 (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A call for strategy on eating disorders: the need for a comprehensive eating disorder strategy in England and specific guidance for the remote delivery of eating disorder services

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The paper states that, in addition to increasing numbers, the lack of national guidance, ad hoc data collection, and inconsistencies in both quality of care and evaluation of service provision are leading to disparities in support provided to people with eating disorders across England. This has led to calls from activists, politicians and the Health and Social Care Committee for the Government to implement a national eating disorder strategy for England.

These calls have been echoed by the researchers who have been leading a three-year project investigating the impact of the rapid transition to remote care during the COVID-19 pandemic on people with eating disorders.

The RHED-C project, led by Dr Dawn Branley-Bell, Associate Professor and Director of the Psychology and Communication Technology Lab (PaCT Lab) at Northumbria, is funded by the Medical Research Foundation.

The team conducted interactive workshops, one-to-one interviews, and a UK-wide survey with people with lived experience of eating disorders, as well as engaging with service providers. They also explored the benefits and challenges of receiving and providing online healthcare for those with eating disorders and eating distress. Based on their findings, they have identified future support recommendations.

Such strategies and frameworks already exist in other nations, including in Australia, and closer to home in Wales and Scotland.

Now, building on the findings of their research, academics working on the RHED-C project are calling for a dedicated national eating disorder strategy for England, and emphasised the importance of incorporating evidence-based guidelines specific to the remote delivery of eating disorder services.

Remote Healthcare Needs Evidence-Based Eating Disorder Guidelines

Dr Dawn Branley-Bell said: “Our research highlights the urgent need for a dedicated national strategy to address the rising prevalence of eating disorders in England. While remote healthcare has provided vital access to support, it also presents unique challenges that must be addressed through clear, evidence-based, eating disorder-specific guidelines.

“Without national coordination, inconsistencies in care will persist, leaving many individuals without the support they need. A comprehensive strategy, including specific guidance for remote service delivery for eating disorders, is essential to ensure equitable, high-quality care.”

In the absence of specific guidance for remote delivery of eating disorders services and to enhance online support experiences, the RHED-C team has developed a free online toolkit. The ConnectED on the Journey toolkit offers guidance for individuals with lived experiences, their families and friends, and service providers, aiming to improve the effectiveness of online support for eating disorders.

James Downs, a co-author on the paper who has lived experience of eating disorders, said: “Having contributed to policy and research in eating disorders as a patient, I’ve experienced first-hand the ways in which a fragmented and outdated approach to treatment leads to disparities in care and limits opportunities for recovery. The need for a national strategy for eating disorders is clear, and this should be co-created to reflect the priorities and needs of patients and their supporters.”

Dr Angela Hind, CEO of the Medical Research Foundation, said: “Eating disorders are complex, often life-threatening conditions affecting people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.

In the UK, the scale of the problem is rising, with more young people than ever before receiving treatment for an eating disorder. Despite this, research remains significantly underfunded, meaning that understanding of how eating disorders arise and how to best treat them is still very limited.

That’s why we’re continuing to prioritise research in this area, funding projects like RHED-C, to deepen understanding and improve care. By investing in cutting-edge research, we aim to generate the evidence needed to make a meaningful difference for people affected by eating disorders.”

Reference:

A call for strategy on eating disorders: the need for a comprehensive eating disorder strategy in England and specific guidance for the remote delivery of eating disorder services – (https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-025-01224-y)

Source-Eurekalert