Most with eating disorders are 25-35 year-old women, not teenagers

The majority of people suffering from eating disorders in this country are women aged between 25 and 35 years - and not teenagers.

The latest figures from Bodywhys, the Eating Disorder Association of Ireland, also shows calls to the line have soared by 92% in the first six months of the year.

The association cites increasingly hectic lifestyles as a reason for anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating becoming more prevalent in older women and men.

Last year more than 70% of those attending Bodywhys support groups were over the age of 25, and some have been battling eating disorders for more than 10 years.