The health ministry “recognises the seriousness” of eating disorders, minister Michael Damianos said on Tuesday.

Addressing a workshop aimed at making progress towards the development of a government strategy to deal with the issue of eating disorders, Damianos described eating disorders as “serious and potentially dangerous, characterised by disturbed behaviours, thoughts, and feelings”.

He said those feelings are typically related to “body weight and shape, eating and food intake”, and that they “have a significant impact on the wellbeing and quality of life of people with eating disorders and their families”.

He added that eating disorders are “more common than typically believed”, and that their prevalence is “constantly increasing”.

He added that eating disorders typically attract more societal stigma than other mental health issues, saying negative attitudes towards eating disorders are “widespread within the general population, in the workplace, in education, in health services, and even among the friends and families” of sufferers.

He said that given this, his ministry is now developing a national strategy to deal with eating disorders because it recognises Cyprus’ shortcomings in their prevention, recognition, and treatment.

“The national strategy will aim to create a coordinated, gradual, and equitable care system which will respond to the multilevel needs of people with eating disorders and their families and caregivers, while at the same time developing actions which will aim to prevent and reduce the prevalence of these disorders,” he said.

He added, “the system must be accessible to those who need it”.