Eating disorders can affect anyone - male or female, old or young. That's the first thing that experts from charities like Beat highlight.
And while that means it can be a shock, there is plenty of advice about how best to watch out for an eating disorder, and how to approach things if someone you love might be affected.
The NHS has helpful guidance for some of the ways to identify if someone you care about might be suffering from an eating disorder. They include if someone spends lots of time worrying about weight and body shape, or if they avoid socialising in situations where food is likely to be involved.
"Excessive exercising" and eating food very quickly or cutting food into small pieces and eating very slowly are also signs to watch out for. Skipping meals, and dramatic weight loss are also things to be wary of - as is if someone takes to wearing loose or baggy clothing to hide weight loss.
The NHS also highlights "frequent trips to the bathroom after meals" as a warning sign - along with pointing out that more general symptoms of possible mental illness such as changes in mood, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, and feeling cold or tired could also be suggestive of an eating disorder.
The NHS says it's vital that if you or someone you know needs support you contact a GP.
Eating Disorder Awareness Week ran from February 28 to March 6, and during the week Claire Reynolds, a director at charity Beat, spoke to ChronicleLive.
Claire explained how Covid-19 had hit people suffering from eating disorders hard. Beat saw demand for its services rocket during the pandemic - it increased by more than 150% in 2020-2021 in comparison to a year earlier.
Beat's advice for people who think they may have an eating disorder emphasises how "there's no single cause and people might not have all symptoms for any one eating disorder".
The charity also urges people to remember that common media stories of "young white women with anorexia" did not reflect "the full spectrum of eating disorders and people who can develop them".
On its website, the charity adds: "If you think you might be having problems with your eating or feel that difficult feelings or situations are making you change your eating habits or feel differently about food, you could have an eating disorder or be developing one."
Beat also highlights how studies suggest around one in four people with an eating disorder is male, and cites stats from 2015 showing that 15% of the calls the charity's helpline received were from people over 40.
The charity also has advice for how to talk to someone you may be worried has an eating disorder. They highlight the importance of treating eating disorders as a mental health issue, and ensuring you're informed before bringing concerns up.
The charity also suggests ensuring someone talks to their loved one in a safe environment and one-to-one - and at a time "when neither of you feels angry or upset". Beat also recommends taking a "gentler approach", avoid getting angry and "try not to centre the conversation around food and/or weight".
Speaking about how Covid had impacted eating disorder sufferers, Claire added: "The pandemic put those who suffer with EDs in a really tough place - unfortunately many people relapsed having previously suffered."
She said this had been for "a variety of reasons", and said that "everybody can get involved" in helping to raise awareness of eating disorders and the need for appropriate medical education. "We are asking people to speak up and share their stories, yes, but also to sign up to back our campaign online."
Speaking about what people should know about eating disorders, she added: "It's vital to remember eating disorders can affect anyone. Man or woman, people from all different backgrounds.
"It can affect someone's ability to reach out, and often if they do, and their GP doesn't have the right training, it can put them off seeking help too."
Newcastle campaigner Tom Rebair has also recently written about his experiences as a man with anorexia. Though he cautioned that his experience is not a universal one, he said: "Right at the start of my eating disorder, I found one of the most common problems I would find is one you might not expect.
"I would feel more alert and very energetic. I would also be productive, whilst feeling content in myself. But this is the ‘hook’, that lowers you into false preconceptions that it will stay like this and you’re doing yourself no harm.
"But the next step was the opposite. I would feel exhausted, angry, and very irritable, with everyone and anything. At times I took it out on the people I felt closest to, which is heart-breaking to think about as normally I always want the best for anyone.
"In terms of eating and exercising, I found that exercise was becoming something I had to do, rather than wanting to and looking forward to it. At this point, my thoughts were often about food in some way, looking at new recipes via social media or thinking about the next snack or meal."
Tom also said it was vital to remember that eating disorders don't "pick and choose" who they affect - and he said it was always important to reach out for professional support.
Beat's helpline is available 9am until midnight during the week and 4pm to midnight on weekends and bank holidays. It's free to call from a landline or mobile.
People in England should call 0808 801 0677 or email help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk.
The Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust has also produced a video showing some of things to watch out for - view it here.
The NHS also urges people to speak to their GP as soon as they have any concerns about their health in regard to an eating disorder.
