Closed petition Fund a UK public information campaign to raise awareness of eating disorders

Closed on 17 September 2016

Eating disorders are severe illnesses, yet are widely misunderstood by the public and often subject to negative and misinformed attitudes. These misunderstandings and negative perceptions may stop people getting the help they need and deserve. A well-funded public education programme is needed.

The public tend to underestimate the seriousness of eating disorders (Crisp et al., 2000; Easter, 2012; Mond et al., 2006) and may not view them as a ‘real’ mental illness (Easter, 2012). Despite genetic factors playing an important role in their causes (Jacobi et al., 2004), the general public tend to blame solely social/environmental factors (Bulik, 2004) as causes for eating disorders. The public also tend to believe the person has brought the illness on themselves (Stewart et al., 2006).