How can we make information that people receive about health, food, minds and bodies ‘Eating Disorder Safe’? 

NEDC, in collaboration with La Trobe University, has developed a set of principles that will guide the ways that information about health, food, minds and body are provided to people across settings. This is a key eating disorder prevention and harm minimisation initiative, arising from the National Eating Disorders Strategy 2023-33.

What is this about? 

Throughout the development of the National Strategy, NEDC consistently heard from people with lived experience, their families, carers and supports that there is a need to change the way that society broadly speaks about health, food, minds and bodies. Through our consultations and working groups, people told us about the importance of safe messaging being delivered across healthcare, education, community services, sport, workplaces and social media.

Consistent and safe messages in the ways that professionals speak about bodies, teach about nutrition, develop health and related policies and accommodate difference can help to minimise unintended risks and harms in relation to eating disorders, disordered eating and body image distress.

What’s happening now? 

The Eating Disorder Safe principles are due to be published in June 2024. This will include practice examples for how to implement the principles across a broad range of settings.

In addition, NEDC is working in collaboration with Southern Cross University and the Public Health Association of Australia to develop a First Nations-specific Companion Document to the Eating Disorder Safe principles. This will ensure that key considerations for cultural safety and relevance are integrated in all Eating Disorder Safe projects.

What’s coming up? 

The Eating Disorder Safe principles will be formally launched on 24 July 2024, 12:00-1:00pm AEST.

Register now to attend our live webinar, The Eating Disorder Safe principles with First Nations perspectives: strengthening our conversation about health, food, mind and body.

During the launch, we will explore the principles in-depth along with the Companion Document, ‘First Nations Perspectives: Strengthening the Eating Disorder Safe Principles.’

Register here or via the yellow side box.

Once the Eating Disorder Safe principles are finalised, NEDC will begin rolling out specific projects aimed at putting the principles into practice within key contexts. We will keep this page updated as new resources become available.

With thanks

NEDC and our partners have been supported in this work by an Expert Advisory Group and a First Nations Governance Group. We thank all members for their contributions, which have greatly enriched our thinking and will lead to much greater impact.

National Strategy 2023-2033

The development and implementation of the Eating Disorder Safe principles aligns with the following National Strategy Standards:

  • Prevention Standard 1: The principle of ‘do no harm’ in relation to eating disorder risk is applied to public policy and practice.
  • Prevention Standard 2: The principle of ‘do no harm’ in relation to eating disorder risk is applied to research activities.
  • Prevention Standard 3: There is increased community capacity and expertise to prevent eating disorders through a ‘do no harm’ approach which acts to reduce risk and bolster protective factors.
  • Prevention Standard 4: Home and family, school, work, health, online, and sports, fitness and performance environments bolster protective factors and reduce risk factors.
  • Identification Standard 2: Professionals at key entry or referral points (e.g., GPs, emergency department staff, school counsellors, mental health professionals, dietitians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners, Alcohol and Other Drug workers, staff in sporting/performance
    organisations) can recognise eating disorder warning signs and symptoms and provide or support access to an initial response.
  • Treatment Standard 9: Treatment providers are trained and skilled for the level of treatment they provide in line with national training standards.
  • Treatment Hospital & Inpatient Standard 4: Regardless of setting of inpatient admission (e.g., medical ward), mental health support is provided appropriate to the goals of the admission.
  • Psychosocial and Recovery Support Standard 2: Staff providing psychosocial and recovery support services and programs have understanding about eating disorders appropriate to their role and context.
  • Workforce Standard 4: Eating disorder service development and lived experience organisations to partner with the education, social and community services sector to develop and disseminate training
    and supporting resources in eating disorder-safe principles, and support their implementation.