Charity urges action on eating disorders

FINANCE Minister Brian Cowen’s next Budget must fund measures to tackle the rise of eating disorders like anorexia and compulsive over-eating, health campaigners warned last night.

With an estimated 168,000 people in Ireland suffering from binge-eating disorder and thousands others from anorexia and bulimia, the Bodywhys charity wants proper funding for health campaigns around food, lifestyle as well as mental illness.

In a pre-Budget submission, the eating disorder charity calls for greater support for youngsters with eating disorders as well as a dedicated service for adults with the condition.