| Friday, 11 January 2002
$1.2 MILLION CENTRE TO COMBAT EATING DISORDERS
A $1.2 million centre to combat eating disorders and to raise awareness of the problem was opened in Melbourne today by the Acting Premier, John Thwaites.
Mr Thwaites said the centre of excellence would undertake research into the prevention and early detection of eating disorders as well as provide education, training and advice to health professionals across Victoria.
“The centre, based at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, will help us fight the distressing impact that eating disorders have on Victorian sufferers and their families,” Mr Thwaites said.
“While full-blown eating disorders affect only one to two per cent of the population, at the most extreme they can lead to premature death with anorexia nervosa having one of the highest death rates of any mental health disorder.
“About one in 200 girls and young women will become anorexic. Half of them will recover. Of the other half, about 45 per cent will have some ongoing problem with food and tragically five percent will die.”
Mr Thwaites said the centre would look at innovative ways of tackling eating disorders.
“Research tells us that a growing group of people - as many as eight per cent of the population - have a sub-clinical eating disorder,” Mr Thwaites said.
“These are women and men, girls and boys - and sometimes quite young children - who diet too often, exercise too much and eat too little.
“They share many attitudes about body image and eating with people who have full-blown eating disorders. If we can work effectively with this group, we expect that we can help prevent young people from developing more severe problems.”
Mr Thwaites said the Bracks Government allocated $1.2 million over three years to a consortium made up of Melbourne Health, Women’s and Children’s Health, the Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria and Doutta Galla Community Health Service to establish the centre.
“This is a significant achievement in mental health care for Victoria and will be an invaluable resource to complement existing services for people with eating disorders,” Mr Thwaites said.
“Eating disorders dramatically affect the lives of too many Victorians and if we can prevent this, through research and training or treat it in its early stages, we can save many young lives.”
The centre will develop strong links with treatment services in the community and regional centres in Bendigo and Geelong, which have received $980,000 to expand services.
Media contact: Sandra McKay on 0408 120 068 www.vic.gov.au
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