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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?

An innovative e-Learning program for secondary schools to address social media and body image

BodyKind Online Education supports a safer online experience for young people in Australia.

The program includes age and developmentally appropriate e-learning programs mapped to Australian curriculum that have been developed by Butterfly with support from experts and young people, and pilot evaluated for Year 7-8 and Year 9-10 students.

FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

FOR SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL STAFF

FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES

Topics explored

• Body Image and the influence of social media
• Appearance-based content, ideals and trends
• Misinformation and other strategies used in digital advertising
• Authenticity online
• Appearance talk and poor behaviour online.
• When someone might be having a tough time with their body image
• Self compassion and other positive strategies
• Social media apps, safety features and online reporting
• The role of help-seeking
• Algorithms to take ownership online
• How to be a BodyKind creator

For BodyKind Online Education updates, please complete the form below.

I'm interested in BodyKind Online Education

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

School / organisation(Required)

Title / job position(Required)

Are you in Australia?(Required)

Yes

Which Australian state or territory are you located in?

International Enquiry: If you are not in Australia, what is your country?

CAPTCHA

Questions? Please contact Butterfly Prevention Services at bko-edu@butterfly.org.au.

Learn more

Evaluation media release

Conducted by researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast the pilot evaluation involved nearly 500 students from Tasmania & Victoria, with significant benefits reported.

Podcast: How BodyKind Online Education can transform your child’s online experience

We discuss actionable techniques and skills that will empower anyone who supports young people online, plus an inside look into Butterfly's BodyKind Online Education program.

This project was funded by the eSafety Commissioner’s Online Safety Grants Program.

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

An innovative e-Learning program for secondary schools to address social media and body image

Topics explored

I'm interested in BodyKind Online Education

Learn more

On the fly Newsletter

On the fly Newsletter