What is the purpose of Eating Disorder Awareness Week?
Eating Disorder Awareness Week (EDAW) is an awareness campaign and fundraising week which runs from 27 February – 5 March 2023 and focuses on highlighting the issues surrounding eating disorders so that people can gain a greater understanding of them and the support which is available. This year the campaign will focus on eating disorders in men. According to Beat Eating Disorders who lead the campaign, at least 25% of people affected by eating disorder are male. Beat Eating Disorders set out their aim for EDAW as, “We want to bust the toxic stereotypes that prevent men from speaking up. We’re here to #HelpMenGetHelp. So we’ll be using EDAW ‘23 to shine a light on the different experiences men face — and how we, as a community, can create a safe space for men to turn to for support towards recovery”.
What is an eating disorder?
Beat Eating Disorders estimate that around 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder but what does that actually mean? Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses and the NHS defines an eating disorder as follows, “An eating disorder is a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations”. Eating disorders are not exclusive to specific groups within the population and anyone can develop an eating disorder. This can happen as a response to any number of circumstances that have affected someone’s mental health and how eating disorders present themselves and the symptoms can vary from person to person but it is important to remember that eating disorders are about how someone feels and their use of food is at least in part a coping mechanism.
What types of eating disorder are there?
There are at least 8 recognised types of eating disorder according to Beat Eating Disorders, each has its own specific characteristics although they can overlap and symptoms can change.
Anorexia Nervosa – Sufferers are typically of low weight due to limiting how much they eat and drink, they set rules around eating and drinking, they may exercise excessively and make themselves sick to get rid of food.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) – This is sometimes seen as an umbrella term is it includes a range of different eating difficulties. Sufferers avoid certain foods or types of food, they can have sensitivity to the smell, taste, texture or appearance of food, as well as anxiety around eating particular food due to a past experience like choking, vomiting or food having caused stomach pain.
Binge Eating Disorder – As you might expect people who suffer from this disorder eat very large amounts of food and often do so quickly, without feeling in control and until they feel uncomfortably full. Someone with this disorder does not usually then get rid of the food but may have a longer period of time in which they fast between binges.
Bulimia Nervosa – People with this disorder will binge eat and will then compensate for that by purging either through vomiting, taking laxatives, fasting or exercising to excessive levels. This is a vicious cycle and sufferers also have a strong focus on their weight and body shape which they often see as being much larger than it actually is.
Orthorexia – A person with Orthorexia has an unhealthy obsession with that they consider to be “pure” food. What is considered “pure” varies from person to person and does not mean that someone who eats healthily has the disorder. Eating “pure” food for someone with Orthorexia is a way of coping with anxiety or to feel more in control and due to the fixation with only eating certain foods this can lead to health problems because of a lack of a range of vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) – Sometimes the symptoms presented by a person suffering from an eating disorder don’t fit exactly with the expected symptoms of established disorders and so the umbrella term OSFED is used instead. Examples of OSFED include atypical anorexia, purging disorder or night eating syndrome.
Pica – This is a feeding disorder whereby a person eats non-food substances which have no nutritional value, for example ice, chalk, paper or soap. Most people with Pica will usually still eat normal food but consuming some non-food items can be extremely dangerous and Pica is often undiagnosed until medical consequences become apparent.
Rumination Disorder – This disorder involves someone repeatedly bringing up partly digested food, although this is done without effort or pain and is not associated with vomiting. A person with Rumination Disorder will often rechew and reswallow the food. The causes of this disorder are not known.
What can employers do to support their staff?
People with eating disorders are often adept at hiding their illness and so signs and symptoms are difficult to spot for friends, family and colleagues. Signs to look out for though include weight gain or loss and changes in behaviour. Someone with an eating disorder may appear unduly anxious, withdrawn from colleagues or unusually irritable and lacking in an ability to concentrate. As an employer if you are concerned about a member of your team then find an opportunity to have a private conversation with them to check on their wellbeing. If a disclosure is made then offer support as needed and treat the information that is shared with you sensitively and with compassion. It might be that you can be flexible on working hours so that the member of staff can attend appointments or temporarily amend their duties if they are struggling. It is important though to ensure that they receive professional help and as a colleague or employer you are not expected to be a medical expert and should always signpost to their GP or other qualified support practitioner.
Further information and support can be found at How to help someone with an eating disorder – NHS (www.nhs.uk), I need support now – Beat (beateatingdisorders.org.uk) and Treatment and support for eating problems – Mind.
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Why not also check out our blog on a similar topic How to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) at Home and Work
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