People living with eating disorders are being turned away for support because they're being made to feel like they're not 'thin enough'

People living with eating disorders are being turned away for support because they're being made to feel like they're not 'thin enough'.

A recent report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists suggests that people's Body Mass Index (BMI) still determines if they're eligible for support.

Shelley Perry is the founder and CEO of Breathe and S.E.E.D. eating disorder services based in Preston, she said: "92% of people with a diagnosable eating disorder have either got a healthy weight or are overweight.

"People are walking round really struggling with these issues and they're getting no help because the general population's understanding around that is you have to be emaciated and be effectively 'skin on bone' to have an eating disorder.

"If they have got to focus on a number - this BMI - to be well and then everybody goes away once the number is okay, then actually that's ignoring the mental illness.

"So many people feel abandoned, it's such a common experience. They feel that 'well actually nobody cares unless I'm this particular BMI...so to get this care and attention and support I need, I need to be this number again', so it reinforces the whole problem."

Meanwhile, MPs are also calling for the use of BMI in determining if an individual's weight is healthy should be scrapped due to concerns it contributes to eating disorders after a report by politicians.

The Women and Equalities Committee warned the impact of the pandemic, both on eating disorder sufferers and those at a high risk of developing one, has been "devastating''.

Their inquiry into body image also branded the Government's obesity strategy "dangerous'' for those with negative body image, potentially triggering eating disorders in the people it is designed to help.

The report warns that BMI, used as a health risk indicator in individual patients who are then put on weight loss or weight gain programmes prompted by their score, contributes to issues such as eating disorders and poor mental health.

"We have been hugely saddened to hear of the number of people who have faced appearance and weight-based discrimination when accessing NHS services,'' the report said.

"The use of BMI inspires weight stigma, contributes to eating disorders, and disrupts people's body image and mental health.''

It recommended that Public Health England stops using BMI as a measure of individual health and instead focuses on a "Health at Every Size'' approach.

This honours differences in factors such as age, ethnicity and gender, and prioritises healthy lifestyle choices over correcting weight, according to the report.

On the obesity strategy, the committee said that it was "at best ineffective and at worst perpetuating unhealthy behaviours'' and called for the Government to commission an independent review into the evidence base for its policies.

It also urged the Government to immediately scrap plans for calorie labels on food in restaurants, cafes and takeaways, amid concerns it will contribute to growth in eating disorders and disordered eating.

MPs also called on the Government to bring forward legislation restricting or banning the use of altered images in adverts, over concerns this is contributing to poor body image.

Chair Caroline Nokes said: "Over the past 10 years, there has been a wealth of research and recommendations on how to tackle negative body image but Government action in this area is limited - we need to see urgent action.

"The pressure will intensify as gyms and beauty salons reopen on Monday,'' the Conservative MP added.

"This may be exciting for some but it will be difficult for people who experience body image anxieties. It's critical that Government action works towards improving body image.''