Talk to someone now. Call our National Helpline 7 days a week, 8am-midnight (AEST/AEDT) on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

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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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Screening Tool

Use our simple and anonymous screening tool to help you know if you are experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder.

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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Donate now

You can help prevent eating disorders and negative body image today and provide support to those who are affected.

Donate Monthly

Make an even bigger impact by donating monthly to help us plan ahead for our programs, treatment facility, support groups, and more.

Talk to someone now. Call our National Helpline 7 days a week, 8am-midnight (AEST/AEDT) on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

Need help?

Finding ways to like, accept, love or even feel positive about your body can be challenging in the world we live in today, but we can all try to be a little kinder.

Being BodyKind is how we nourish, nurture and move our bodies. It’s about the language we use out loud, online and in our heads – to ourselves and others.

What does it mean to be BodyKind?

BodyKind Schools

Foster body kindness and healthy body image in your school with our easy-to-implement activities.

Open link

BodyKind Families

Help young people through the challenges of adolescence and encourage body kindness at home.

Open link

BodyKind Online

Show body kindness towards your body and other peoples’ bodies online.

Open link

BodyKind Youth Survey

For young Australians aged 12 to 18 to share their body image experiences and ideas to create a more Body Kind Australia.

Open link

BodyKind Clubs

Create a sporting or activity club environment where all bodies are treated with kindness and respect.

Open link

Why Body Kind?

Being kind to ourselves and our bodies can help build healthy body image and supports mental health and wellbeing.

This September, join Butterfly’s free annual awareness initiative to encourage everyone in Australia to be kind to their own body and to others; face to face and online. You will receive practical, evidence-informed tips, activities and webinars.

Get involved

BodyKind is FREE and open to anyone in the community who wants to learn to be kinder to their body, or help others to do so. Our focus this year is on:

BodyKind Schools – practical resources for educators to help foster healthy body image (formerly Love Your Body Week for Schools). Find out more
BodyKind Families – to help parents and carers build body kindness at home.
BodyKind Online – because body kindness online can impact on everyone’s lives and mental health.
BodyKind Clubs – Free resources for sporting and activity groups to create an environment where all bodies are treated with kindness and respect.
BodyKind Youth Survey – A deep dive into the body image experiences of young Australians to help create positive change and fill the gap in research.

Body image is in the top 3 of personal concerns for young people aged 15- 19

1 in 5 adults have felt shame because of their body image in the last year

More than 1/3 of adults said they had ever felt anxious or depressed because of their body image

Have a BodyKind Fundraiser and support Butterfly

A BodyKind Fundraiser is a great way you can help raise valuable funds so that Butterfly can continue to support body confidence, Australia-wide.

There are many ways to get involved. Take a look at our BodyKind Fundraising Guide for some gold coin donation ideas.

If you are interested in getting involved, please register your BodyKind fundraising event with Butterfly by simply completing our Expression of Interest form.

How much you raise is not important; shining a light on being BodyKind is. Thank you in advance for your support!

Let’s talk

Find out more about BodyKind and Butterfly prevention programs for young people, professionals and parents.

ENQUIRE NOW

Email us: education@butterfly.org.au

References

Mission Australia Youth Survey 2020

Mental Health Foundation (UK) 2019

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.

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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

Screening Tool

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

Donate now

Donate Monthly

Finding ways to like, accept, love or even feel positive about your body can be challenging in the world we live in today, but we can all try to be a little kinder.

Being BodyKind is how we nourish, nurture and move our bodies. It’s about the language we use out loud, online and in our heads – to ourselves and others.