We the undersigned call for increased understanding and monetary resources to be put into helping those with eating disorders.

Latest figures show hospital admissions for eating disorders rose by 16% from last year to 2,290. More than half of those admitted to hospital were children or teenagers. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rates of any mental illness, at around 20%.

The petitioners call on parliament and particularly those setting mental health budgets to recognise anorexia and bulimia as serious mental illnesses; to provide better treatment services across the UK and in support of the NICE Guidelines (2004) recommendations of early intervention; to increase training for all health professionals, educators and counsellors; to allocate more resources to prevent the rise in eating disorders and to better support the recovery of  those suffering, including their families.