College backs call for eating disorder media reporting guidelines

Embargoed until Monday, February 21, 2011

The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Eating Disorders Section is backing beat - the leading UK eating disorder charity - in calling for new guidelines to be adopted to change the way illnesses are reported in the media.

 

Commenting on the guidelines, Professor Ulrike Schmidt, chair of the Eating Disorders Section, said: "This is an absolutely outstanding and much needed set of guidelines which will go a long way in helping the media to achieve more balanced reporting of these devastating illnesses, and to avoid the dual pitfalls of either trivialising or hyping up eating disorders."


For further information, please contact Liz Fox or Deborah Hart in the Communications Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127

 

Note to editors:

Beat has produced the guidelines and a new report, 'This picture can seriously damage your health', to mark Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2011. www.b-eat.co.uk

 

© 2011 Royal College of Psychiatrists