MEDIA RELEASE
February 5, 2025

In an Australian first, a new program to prevent development of eating disorders through early education and identification is set to launch in early 2025.

Developed in a partnership between Eating Disorder Families Australia (EDFA) and Embrace Kids, the Nourish, Nurture, Notice program will provide a unique education experience for parents and carers with an aim to reduce the increasingly high rates of disordered eating amongst children and adolescents.

With 1.1 million Australians currently living with an eating disorder, an increase of 21% since 2012, the Nourish, Nurture, Notice program will offer vital support to enable parents and carers to spot the early warning signs of disordered eating before a destructive eating disorder can take hold.

The economic and social cost of eating disorders to Australia has risen 36% to $67 billion since 2021, according to the Butterfly Foundation’s recent “Paying the Price Report 2024”. 

Nourish, Nurture, Notice aims to reduce the associated costs of lengthy eating disorder treatment by intervening before an eating disorder takes hold.

With Queensland Health providing funds to develop and run Nourish, Nurture, Notice until 2027, EDFA Executive Director Jane Rowan believes the program can make a positive difference for parents and carers of young Australians. 

“Protecting young Australians and providing support for their families from the devastating impact of eating disorders is the driver behind the new Nourish, Nurture, Notice program,” Ms Rowan said. 

“Identification of disordered eating and the early stages of an eating disorder through the Nourish, Nurture, Notice program is critical to safeguard our children and forms a key component of the National Eating Disorders Strategy.

“As the only national organisation providing support, education, advocacy and counselling solely for carers and families of those impacted by an eating disorder, EDFA is committed to providing early intervention programs to help remove the burden on families before diseases take hold. We know from our lived experience of eating disorders that parents and carers will welcome the knowledge and tools this program will provide,” she said.

This view is supported by carers involved in the development of the program, such as eating disorder carer and parent Robyn from Queensland.

“”It was a godsend having EDFA there for our family. The collective experience has been invaluable, and sharing my story with others who truly understand has been incredibly helpful. I only wish there had been an early preventative education program to help us recognise the warning signs before things escalated,” Robyn said.  

Embrace Kids Executive Director Dr Zali Yager said the development of Nourish, Nurture, Notice was evidence of the power of collaboration in the eating disorders sector.

“There are gaps in resources available to parents to help them understand if the changes in their tween’s and teen’s eating behaviour are problematic or not. This is an essential and unique program that can help parents get the help their kids’ need earlier, preventing much of the ongoing negative psychological and physical health and wellbeing impact of eating disorders and ongoing mental health challenges,” Dr Yager said.

“Embrace Kids and EDFA have harnessed their combined knowledge to produce a prevention program that will give parents and carers the tools to spot the early warning signs to reduce the incidence of eating disorders.”

Offered nationally, the Nourish, Nurture, Notice program will comprise a 30-minute online Masterclass and access to a subsequent 90-minute Drop-In Session with content delivered by Paediatric Dietitian, Dr Lyza Norton, and lived experience carers of those with an eating disorder. Dr Norton holds over 20 years of experience in identifiying and treating disordered eating and eating disorders.  Parents can sign up to be notified when the program is available here.

ABOUT EATING DISORDERS AND EDFA

In 2023, 4.45% of Australians had an eating disorder diagnosis, equating to 1.1 million Australians, meaning at least 4.4 million Australians are impacted by an eating disorder. The Paying the Price Report also found 1.7 million people will be diagnosed with an eating disorder in their lifetime. Most diagnoses occur during adolescence, with highest rates in those aged 15-19. Women are disproportionally affected, accounting for two-thirds of eating disorder diagnoses.

There are extensive social and economic costs associated with eating disorders. In 2023, the total economic and social cost of eating disorders in Australia was $67 billion, up 36% since 2012, and equivalent to $60,654 per person with an eating disorder.

Families and carers of those living with an eating disorder often experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and social isolation. In a recent survey of carers conducted by EDFA, 82.4% of responding carers said their wellbeing decreased as a result of caring for their loved one.

 EDFA is the only national organisation focussed solely on providing support, education and advocacy services to carers and families of those living with an eating disorder. Established in 2016, EDFA currently has more than 3,000 members and has helped hundreds of carers and families over the years.  

MEDIA CONTACTS:

EDFA Executive Director Jane Rowan is available for interview at Parliament House, Canberra, on February 5. Please contact Tracey Adamson/Jaimie Robertson at EDFA or tracey.adamson@edfa.org.au phone 0475 612 314 /jaimie.robertson@edfa.org.au phone
0468 525 680