Food Insecurity, Disordered Eating, and Child Welfare

NEDIC provides information, resources, referrals and support to Canadians affected by eating disorders through our toll-free helpline and instant chat. Outreach and education programming focuses on the awareness and prevention of eating disorders, and is available online across Canada and in-person in the Greater Toronto Area. Instant chat is available from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Thursday and Friday from 9am to 5pm. Emails will be answered during those hours. The NEDIC helpline (1-866-NEDIC-20 and 416-340-4156) is open from 11am to 7pm Monday to Thursday and Friday from 11 am to 5pm. All times EST.

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses with physical manifestations. A number of factors can contribute to the development of an eating disorder, including genetics and mental health as well as cultural factors. This is called the biopsychosocial model. While eating disorders are serious and can have life-threatening complications, they are also treatable illnesses.

In the Canadian health system, feeding and eating disorders are diagnosed by medical professionals (physicians and nurse practitioners) or psychologists. These diagnoses are guided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association. The manual is revised periodically with input from professionals in Canada and the United States. The most recent version (DSM-5) was published in 2013, with revisions to the feeding and eating disorders section intended to be inclusive of a wider range of disordered eating, to aid in the identification of males affected, and to facilitate earlier identification of eating disorders.

On this page, you can use the search function to find online articles, brochures, links to websites, and videos or webinars. Some materials are targeted at professionals, but many are intended for the general public, and a wide range of topics are discussed.

People can, and do, recover from eating disorders, but professional help is often required. Unfortunately, the longer symptoms are denied or ignored, the more difficult recovery tends to be. If someone you know suffers from a possible eating disorder, it's important for them to seek help immediately. Family members and friends can also benefit from information and support. You may find it difficult and stressful to approach someone you care about who has an eating disorder. You may wonder what to say, or be understandably worried about what will happen as a result. Rest assured, however, there are things you can do to offer support.

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses with potentially grave consequences. Children and teens will not accurately estimate the risk that an eating disorder poses to their health. As such, it is up to parents to see that their child is supported to recovery. The treatment approach most strongly supported by research evidence is family-based treatment, in which parents take responsibility for managing the eating disorder symptoms.

People can, and do, recover from eating disorders, but professional help is often required. Unfortunately, the longer symptoms are denied or ignored, the more difficult recovery tends to be. If you or someone you know suffers from a possible eating disorder, it's important to seek help immediately. Family members and friends can also benefit from information and support.

While there's a general understanding that all bodies are naturally diverse—there's a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors—we do live in a culture that values certain bodies more than others. Research has shown that systems of power (that disproportionately affect BIPOC and other marginalized groups) may contribute to eating disorders and affect individuals of minority ethnic backgrounds—dealing with disordered eating—differently than their white counterparts.

A recent research collaboration between FoodShare and food insecurity policy research organization PROOF shines a light on the connection between race and having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Using nearly a decade’s worth of data from Statistics Canada’s community health survey, FoodShare and PROOF discovered that “the overriding factor determining vulnerability to household food insecurity is whether one is racialized as Black.”