First Eating Disorders Foundation of the ACTLaunches During National Body Image AndEating Disorders Awareness Week National Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week is held annually during the first week of September. The Eating Disorders Foundation of the ACT (EDFACT) is proud to announce that we are launching ourselves as an official organisation. In celebration we are hosting a number of events around Canberra. With these events we aim to raise awareness of eating disorders and the lack of treatment services available to sufferers, their family, friends and treating professionals. Currently there are no other existing independent organisations to provide support and education to anyone impacted by an eating disorder. EDFACT was created by five local sufferers to fill the void in existing government services. EDFACT receives no government funding. According to Mission Australia up to one in five twelve year olds is using fasting and vomiting to lose weight, up to one in five students suffer from bulimia nervosa and one in 100 people suffer from anorexia nervosa. The number one concern for young people aged twelve to twenty five years in 2008 was body image. This is above suicide, binge drinking and drugs. The current standing mortality rate for eating disorders in the ACT is approximately twenty percent and those with an eating disorder are thirty-two times more likely to suicide than their peers. Statistically speaking this means that one of EDFACT’s founding members will not be alive in the next ten years.
EDFACT is holding a forum with Dr. Vivienne Lewis of the University of Canberra on Tuesday the 2nd of September from 6-7:30pm at the Legislative Assembly. EDFACT will also be holding various stalls during the week at the ANU, UC and in Garema Place. EDFACT will be providing information about eating disorders and local treatment and crisis services. For further details of these events, please contact EDFACT on 6166 1679.
Loading ...
