Eating Disorders: The Way Forward – An Australian National Framework 

Eating Disorders: The Way Forward - An Australian National Framework seeks to address the pervasive and grievous cruelty of a serious mental illness within our community, that of eating disorders. The statistics are alarming. For example, eating disorders are the 12th leading cause of mental health hospitalisation costs within Australia, and the expense of treatment of an episode of Anorexia Nervosa has been reported to come second only to the cost of cardiac artery bypass surgery in the private hospital sector in Australia. Anorexia Nervosa has the highest rate of mortality of all psychiatric disorders.

The National Framework is an opportunity to open the pathways to prevention, early intervention, treatment and support; to increase community awareness and understanding of the problem so as to facilitate pathways towards successful prevention and treatment; to address the underlying cultural contributing factors; and build a society that places less emphasis on personal looks and more emphasis on internal values within individuals.