The views of Children and Young People in Northamptonshire about Eating Disorders

From January to April 2016, Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire (YHW) carried out a survey asking Children and Young People (CYP) aged 9 to 24 about their knowledge and awareness of eating disorders, if they had one themselves or knew someone who did, and if they knew where to go for help.

This was to help inform the Northamptonshire Children and Young People’s Future in Mind Local Transformation Plan for Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health, which aims to improve the emotional wellbeing and mental health of Children and Young People (CYP) across the county.

2,017 CYP completed the survey. Over three quarters said they knew what an eating disorder was, especially girls, and Anorexia was the most well-known eating disorder.

136 respondents (7%) thought they had an eating disorder (boys and girls) and nearly one third said they knew someone with an eating disorder. Over half did not know where to go for help with an eating disorder, especially boys.