National strategy to address eating disorders unveiled as numbers soar during Covid-19 pandemic

The pandemic has caused a surge in people being diagnosed with the “deadliest of all mental health conditions”, with a new $13m plan unveiled to tackle the crisis.

Improving eating disorder treatments will be at the centre of an ambitious 10-year strategy to tackle the mental health crisis killing Aussies.

Almost one million people suffer from bulimia, anorexia and other eating disorders, with that figure ballooning during the pandemic.

But the sector says an under-investment in research and lack of planning is hindering support for those who need it most.

Health Minister Greg Hunt will on Tuesday unveil a new national approach to eating disorder prevention, early intervention, and treatment.

“It will lead to significant improvements in the wellbeing of those with an eating disorder and, most importantly, will save lives,” Mr Hunt said.

“Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric illness, with anorexia being the deadliest of all mental health conditions.”

Eating disorders are complex, neuropsychiatric disorders.

The 10-year strategy, developed by the InsideOut Institute, highlights 10 areas in greatest need of additional research.

These include treatments, equity of access to services, individualised medicine, family support and stigma.

“70 per cent of people with an eating disorder will not receive treatment and, of those who do, only 20 per cent receive an evidence-based treatment,” the strategy states.

“Research is central to the task of preventing illness and reducing the morbidity and unacceptably high death rate from eating disorders.”

Other priorities include growing the team of experts and health systems adopting research findings.

National Mental Health Commissioner Christine Morgan and Health Minister Greg Hunt. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

National Mental Health Commission chief executive Christine Morgan welcomed the strategy saying there had never been a more important time.

“Across Australia we have seen a 25-50 per cent increase in diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders during Covid, with lockdown conditions creating a ‘perfect storm’ for the behaviours that exacerbate or trigger an eating disorder,” she said.

“If left untreated, or access to treatment is compromised they can impede all aspects of a person’s life and cut too many lives short.”

More Australians are being diagnosed with an eating disorder during the pandemic.

The federal government included $13m in the budget for a national eating disorder research centre.

Organisations that wish to lead the establishment of the centre will be able to apply for a grant from Wednesday.

Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman, said centre would facilitate groundbreaking research that would improve Australia’s understanding of complex eating disorders.

“It will also ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of the international efforts to combat these devastating illnesses,” he said.