Eating Disorders are now affecting children as young as 10 years old, yet services available in Northern Ireland are considered poor and inadequate.
Two people who know this better than most are Claire and Zoe from Belfast, who have made a deeply personal film about what it's like to live with a condition that you spend all your time trying to control.
On February 18th, Claire spoke live on BBC Newsline Family Focus about her eating disorder and making this film. Click here to watch this programme.
Anyone can develop an eating disorder, regardless of age, sex, cultural or racial background, although the people most likely to be affected tend to be young women, particularly between the ages of 15-25.
"I didn't realise it had actually me under control and I couldn't stop it. I didn't even have to make myself sick anymore, it was an automatic reaction." Zoe
February 22nd-28th 2010 is Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) and the charity beat will be running a number of open online recovery clubs. The recovery club project provides online peer support to young people affected by eating disorders.
"It's a serious matter that people just don't take seriously. They just think they [people with eating disorders] are doing it for attention and that's all they want and when they get it they're going to stop. But it's not, it delves on longer than that." Claire (19)
About this film
This film was made by Claire,19, and Zoe from Belfast.
