Funding Boost For Anorexia Research

Health minister Rosie Winterton has announced that the Government has awarded nearly £2 million to fund research into improving treatment for anorexia nervosa. Evidence suggests that the sooner anorexia nervosa is identified and treated, the better the long term outcomes for the patient.

However, the condition, which some surveys suggest affects one per cent of 15 to 25 year olds, can be difficult to diagnose because young people may not realise they are seriously ill, and can be very reluctant to tell anyone even when they do know. It can also be difficult to treat because it is often associated with very complex emotional needs.

The funding will enable the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the Institute of Psychiatry and the eating disorder charity Beat, to conduct research into providing better resources for the identification and treatment of anorexia. Work will include the development and testing of a range psychological treatments that professionals can use at different stages of the disease to target different types of sufferers. This will enable professionals to match assessments and treatments to the profile of individual sufferers.

The study should also lead to the development of new, user-friendly materials for patients and their carers.

Health minister Rosie Winterton said: "Anorexia is a debilitating illness that, if not caught early, can be difficult to treat. The fact that 15 per cent of cases result in death highlights the serious nature of the condition.

"We want to improve the effectiveness of the treatment available, so I am today announcing £2 million to fund research into improving care which, if successful, will enable professionals to better treat the complex emotional issues that are often associated with anorexia.

"We all have a role to play in tackling a disease that has blighted the lives of too many young people. The development of 'size zero' as something young girls aspire to is deeply worrying. Society, particularly the media, must do more promote a more positive body image for young people."

Professor Ulrike Schmidt, Consultant Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital and Professor of Eating Disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, at King's College London said:

"Anorexia nervosa causes major physical, emotional and social distress and the strain on sufferers and their families is tremendous. The publication of the NICE guidelines for eating disorders 3 years ago highlighted the dearth of knowledge on how to treat anorexia. We are delighted that the Government is responding to this need by making funds available for crucial research in this area.

"Our programme is unique as it integrates studies covering anorexia from childhood into adulthood, across the whole range of severity. Moreover it will cover a whole spectrum of research, from the development of early detection tools and targeted psychological treatments, to the evaluation of physical and hormonal system changes of illness and recovery.

"In five years time we hope to have new treatments for anorexia that make a lasting and positive difference to the lives of sufferers and their families. As well as introducing web-based earlier detection and intervention tools, we will focus on the needs of those with the most severe form of the illness and on specialist areas such as mothers with eating disorders and women with reproductive problems."

Susan Ringwood, Chief Executive of Beat said:

"We are delighted to be part of this important research study. We will be contributing to the early identification of eating disorders and how best to support families too. There is world-class research being done in the UK, but still so much we need to learn about these challenging and complex conditions."