Eating Disorders-some surprising figures

 Eating disorders are increasing in our society. Current statistics are hard to come by but one study shows 37/100000 people in 2009 met criteria to be diagnosed with an eating disorder and hospital admissions for eating disorders have increased by 8%.

 This week is national eating disorder awareness week and this year its aim is to increase awareness of early signs and of the importance of early intervention.

I was amazed to discover that Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness, and suicide rates in anorexia are 1.5 times higher than in major depression. Yet often we treat this illness as a teenage fad, support is sparse unless the sufferer reaches a critical weight loss despite repeated evidence showing that intervention in the early stages of the illness can hugely improve outcomes.

 Eating disorders are found equally in all cultural groups and yet is rarely treated or talked about in minority groups. It is increasing in older age groups and in young children.

While eating disorders can be categorised into anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder there is often a degree of overlap. Orthorexia, the extreme adherence to a 'healthy' diet, while not formally recognised, is becoming increasingly common.

 So what signs can you look out for in a friend or patient? The American Medical Association recommend the SCOFF questionnaire for screening, the questions are:

Do you make yourself Sick because you feel uncomfortably full?

Do you worry that you have lost Control over how much you eat?

Have you recently lost more than One stone (14 lb) in a 3-month period?

Do you believe yourself to be Fat when others say you are too thin?

Would you say that Food dominates your life?

 Obviously these are easier to ask as a GP than as a friend. Consider broaching the subject in any friend who has lost a severe amount of weight recently, if they appear secretive about their eating habits or complain of feeling fatigued and cold all the time.

It's also worth if you have a friend who exercises obsessively, or who cuts out all gluten, lactose, processed foods to extremes.

. Under 18 year olds can be referred to their local child and adolescent mental health services and adults to psychology services. If there are signs of severe illness (BMI less than 15 or abnormal blood results due to starvation) they can be referred to specialist eating disorder units.

Remember early intervention saves lives.