'Eating disorders are a misunderstood mental illnesses'

We're hearing from a Kent counselling service that eating disorders are one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses.

This week is raising awareness to the disorder, as well as the impact it can have on supporting family and friends.

It comes with new research revealing admissions for these disorders have doubled in the past decade and the NHS spends four billion pounds a year on treatment.

Michelle Hodgkiss is from Therapy Partners in Maidstone and she told us that eating disorders don't always have visible symptoms, she said: "People believe that eating disorders are always centred around food, but there are other factors that can lead to someone developing it.

"One thing we always look is whether someone has had trauma in their past, or they are suffering depression as well as anxiety. We think about these three as the main symptoms to look out for.

If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity.