Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2025

Monthly News - February 2025

Focus on Eating Disorder Awareness Week

Content warning: mention of restrictive eating and negative body image

‘Eating disorders’ cover a range of mental health conditions and behaviours where a person experiences unhealthy or restrictive patterns around food. Whilst Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia are conditions people most commonly associate with eating disorders, there are many others such as Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), binge-eating, Pica and more.

Whilst a common trigger, not all eating disorders are the result of negative body image or weight control. Some forms of disordered eating can be produced by sensory issues, appetite loss, past experience or fear, inability to recognise hunger cues, or other reasons. Eating disorders can present a variety of symptoms such as restricting food intake, having strict rules around food, obsessive food habits or thoughts, avoiding socialising around food, excessive exercise, and anxiety around body image. They can be short or long-term episodes, but the mental, physical, and social impact may last longer. A person experiencing an eating disorder may not necessarily present weight loss or gain, so their condition may go unnoticed even by those close to them.

When a person is ready to seek help, there are a range of treatments which may help someone recover from an eating disorder. Depending on the root cause and the individual, this can include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other form of psychotherapy, medication to manage underlying depression or anxiety, or support from a trained dietitian or nutritionist. The UK’s eating disorder charity BEAT offer helplines, peer support and free resources for those experiencing an eating disorder and their family and friends.

What this week means to me

My journey with disordered eating started several years ago after needing to follow a restrictive diet during a complicated pregnancy. The continued health issues mean that I still need to keep a careful balance on what and when I eat, which has led to a difficult cycle of strict limitation, binging and guilt. I now have a complicated relationship with food, with each meal needing to be a very deliberate and conscious decision to prevent fear-driven avoidance. This can be difficult to explain to others who associate eating disorders only with weight-control and body image.

Sarah, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Monthly Calendar

Our EDI calendar can help create an inclusive work and study environment, it can also inspire students, staff and visitors to take part in key celebrations and/or remembrance events.

The calendar highlights faith days observed or celebrated, key diversity days, awareness raising dates and public holidays.

It also focuses on the six main religions as identified in the Census of England and Wales; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, All other religions and beliefs not included on the calendar are equally as valued and considered across our work.

Please note: The dates in the calendar were correct at the time of publication in January 2025.

To provide feedback on the calendar, please contact [email protected]