As the festive season approaches, perhaps you’re thinking of hosting friends and family.

You know at least one person who’ll attend who becomes anxious around food and another with an eating disorder.

So, how to host and make sure everyone feels comfortable and supported?

Perhaps you’ve already hosted someone with food anxiety or an eating disorder without even knowing.

Food anxiety refers to fear or anxiety in response to eating food. This could relate to certain textures and smells, or fear of choking or vomiting. These fears and anxieties can be intense and are associated with mental health conditions, including avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

For others, anxiety about food might be based on fear of the impact food could have on their body shape and size. This kind of food anxiety is closely associated with diagnosable eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Eating disorders are among the most rapidly increasing mental health diagnoses in the world, and can be present at any shape or size. These disorders involve negative thoughts about one’s weight, shape and eating. Behaviours people can experience include skipping meals, or feeling like they can’t stop eating.

Eating disorders can have significant impacts on someone’s life,........

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