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Eating disorders
What can cause an eating disorder?

It’s unlikely that one single thing will lead to an eating disorder. There is often a combination of risk factors, including genetics, emotional factors and cultural influences.

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Who gets eating disorders?

No matter your size, shape, age, abilities, gender identity, sexuality, cultural or linguistic background, economic status or location, anyone can experience an eating disorder.

Do you know someone at risk?

Approximately 9% of Australians will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime but it’s not possible to tell if a person has an eating disorder simply by their appearance.
Body image
What is body image?

Body image is the thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs we have about our bodies and how we look, including our shape, size, weight, and the way our body functions for us.

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Body image issues don’t discriminate.

There are many factors that can contribute to poor body image and body dissatisfaction. Body image issues affect people of all ages, genders and across all cultures.

Body image programs

Butterfly’s programs for young people, professionals and parents are evidence based and designed to provide practical strategies, skills and resources to support positive body image and healthy behaviours in young Australians.
Get support
Butterfly provides support, care, referrals and resources

Whether for you, a friend, a family member, a client, or anyone else that you care about, Butterfly is here to offer support.

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Butterfly’s National Helpline

Our helpline is free and confidential, and our specialist counsellors offer non-judgmental support over the phone, by email and by online chat, seven days a week.

Search Butterfly's Referral Database

Find eating disorder professionals, services and treatment nearest to you, through our Referral Database, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Health Professionals
Information, resources and referrals for your clients

Our Helpline and support services are not only for people impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, but also for clinicians and other health and education professionals.

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Butterfly referral database

Butterfly's Referral Database provides a directory of professionals, screened for an understanding of eating disorders, so people Australia-wide can find appropriate care..

Medicare items for eating disorders

Patients with a clinical diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders may be eligible for new Medicare rebates under the Eating Disorder Medicare Plan.
School & Youth Professionals
Programs for people working with young people

Butterfly offers presentations, resources and workshops to teachers, professionals, young people and parents on the risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction, disordered eating and eating disorders.

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Body Kind Schools

Support young people’s body image by joining Butterfly’s annual free schools awareness initiative. Finding ways to feel positive about your body can be challenging but we can all try to be kinder.

Butterfly Body Bright

A new whole of school program to promote positive body image and healthy attitudes and behaviours towards the body, eating, and physical activity in primary school-aged children.
Who we are
About Butterfly

Butterfly changes lives by providing support services, treatment and resources, delivering prevention and early intervention programs and advocating for the needs of those with eating disorders and body image issues.

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A Voice for Change

As the voice of lived experience, Butterfly advocates on behalf of people impacted by negative body image, eating disorders, and those who support and care for them.

Our Partners and Supporters

Butterfly is extremely grateful for the passion and commitment of our dedicated corporate and community partners.
Get involved
Ways to get involved

There are many different ways you can get involved and help bring about positive change for those experiencing eating disorders and negative body image. You are a vital part of the solution.

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Our Impact

Established nearly 20 years, Butterfly’s multi-skilled team continue to make a significant impact within the mental health sector.

Share Your Story

Every experience of an eating disorder is unique. Sharing stories from personal experience allows for reflection, understanding and connection.

Talk to someone now. Call our National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

Need help?

Talk to someone who can help

Anyone, of any age, gender, culture or background can experience eating or body image concerns. Watch our video series below to see that there are many different ways to experience an eating disorder.

You’ll see that eating or body image concerns can have a serious impact on your life. However, you’re not alone, and you don’t need to do it all by yourself.

Our confidential, free and professional Helpline team are here from 8am to midnight AEST, seven days a week, ready to support you. Let’s talk.

The Talking helps video series

We talked to five people about their experience with eating disorders. From their highs and lows, to the ways they coped mentally and physically, we learned that reaching out for support helps with recovery.

Dominik

Dominik is a carer for his wife who has an eating disorder. He tells us how reaching out to the Butterfly Foundation helped them both to find ways to cope. Who cares for the carer? We do, and carers need to talk too.

Play video

Katie

Katie has lived experience of anorexia and bulimia. She tells us about the challenges of managing her eating disorder whilst being in a same-sex relationship, and how she learned to be kind to herself.

Play video

TJ

TJ has lived experience of anorexia. He describes how being male made it harder to initially reach out for help because he didn’t recognise himself in any media about eating disorders.

Play video

Sarah

Sarah had never heard of binge eating disorder or even knew that it existed before she began talking about what she was going through. Once she understood her condition she was able to start on the road to recovery.

Play video

Quinn

Quinn has lived experience of disordered eating, and identifies as trans-masc, non-binary and queer. Having been unhappy with their body for many years, reaching out for help and transitioning were the turning points for Quinn to develop a positive relationship with their body.

Play video

Want to share our campaign? Head to our Resources section for posters, information in other languages and social media tiles to share.

Butterfly acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work as the first people of this country.

We commit to embracing diversity and eliminating discrimination in health care. We welcome all help-seekers and strive to create a safe place for all people, irrespective of their size, shape, age, abilities, gender, sexuality, cultural background, language, economic status, profession or location.

Butterfly acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work as the first people of this country.

What can cause an eating disorder?

Who gets eating disorders?

Do you know someone at risk?

What is body image?

Body image issues don’t discriminate.

Body image programs

Butterfly provides support, care, referrals and resources

Butterfly’s National Helpline

Search Butterfly's Referral Database

Information, resources and referrals for your clients

Butterfly referral database

Medicare items for eating disorders

Programs for people working with young people

Body Kind Schools

Butterfly Body Bright

About Butterfly

A Voice for Change

Our Partners and Supporters

Ways to get involved

Our Impact

Share Your Story

Talk to someone who can help