Today is International No Diet Day and Claire Droney wonders why so many women are obsessed with their weight

IT is an unfortunate but entirely illustrative irony that Eating Disorders Awareness Week began yesterday, just as half the world sat up agog at the chemically and surgically modified waif-women who high-heeled it up the red carpet to the Oscars ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angles or at London Fashion Week.

Helping those suffering from mental illness must be made a priority by the next Government, campaigners will insist today.

THE NUMBER of places in a major eating disorder unit have been doubled in a bid to cope with the growing number of people seeking treatment.