Press Office

For all media enquiries, please contact Megan Heappey on 0300 102 1685 or email meganheappey@firststepsed.co.uk

First Steps ED has a panel of professionals available to comment on relevant issues on behalf of the charity. The charity also has media-trained members of staff who can talk about their lived experiences.

About us

First Steps ED is a national eating disorder Charity providing help and support to individuals of all ages, genders and backgrounds including their families. We offer training and education to professionals and together with our stakeholders we advance the latest evidence-base for service developments through our service-user led approach.

In the field of eating disorders, we offer the widest range of high-quality care focused on the needs of the individual. Our pathways include:

Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders Treatment Programmes
Transition Eating Disorder Treatment Programmes to University Students
Adult Eating Disorders Treatment Programmes
Parent and Carer Support Programmes
Digital Eating Disorders Treatment Programmes
Guided and Self-guided Psychoeducation and Training Programmes

Key stats

Between 1.25 and 3.4 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder
Around 25% of those affected by an eating disorder are male.
Most eating disorders develop during adolescence, although there are cases of eating disorders developing in children as young as 6 and in adults in their 70s
Eating disorders are most common in people between the ages of 16 and 40 years old
Around 10% of people affected by an eating disorder suffer from anorexia nervosa
The average age of onset for anorexia nervosa is 16 to 17 years old
40% of people affected by an eating disorder suffer from bulimia nervosa
The rate of possible eating problems in 2023 was 12.3% in children aged 11 to 16 years. This rose to 59.4% in young people aged 17 to 19 years.
Rates for young people aged 20 to 25 years were similar to those aged 17 to 19 years; 57.2% screened positive for a possible eating problem in 2023.
Around 1 in 250 women and 1 in 2,000 men will experience anorexia nervosa at some point in their lives.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rates among psychiatric disorders
Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder in adolescence
The earlier someone gets eating disorder treatment, the better their chance of recovery