Dietetics EXPLAINED

Specialist Eating Disorder Dietitians

Personalised, compassionate nutrition support to help you rebuild trust with food and support lasting recovery.

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Dietetics EXPLAINED

What Is Dietetic Support for Eating Disorders?

Dietetic support for eating disorders goes far beyond offering meal plans or general nutrition advice. It is a specialist therapeutic approach that helps you understand your relationship with food, nourish your body safely, and feel more confident and supported as you move through recovery. A key part of dietetic work is helping you make sense of the behaviours that often accompany eating disorders — such as compulsive exercise, binge eating, purging, or the use of laxatives or diuretics.

1.25M

people living with an eating disorder

Dietetic support is not about restriction or focusing narrowly on weight. It is about helping you feel nourished, grounded, and supported as part of your wider recovery journey — physically, psychologically, and behaviourally.

46%

of Adults feel unhappy about appearance

How it works

How Our Dietitians Support Recovery

Our dietitians work with clients at all stages of recovery, offering supportive, structured guidance to:

  • Restore regular eating and stabilise nutrition
  • Broaden food variety and reduce avoidance or fear
  • Support weight restoration where needed
  • Reduce urges to binge through consistent nourishment and behavioural strategies
  • Understand and safely address purging, laxative use, or diuretic use
  • Build practical routines for meals, snacks, and self-care
How We Support you

For clients who engage compulsive or high-risk exercise?

Dietitians also work closely with psychologists, psychiatrists, and medical clinicians to provide cohesive, joined-up care. It can be offered as an individual approach or alongside external therapy. Frequency of sessions varies — from weekly to once every 4–6 weeks — depending on what feels supportive and clinically appropriate. For clients who engage in compulsive or high-risk exercise, dietitians offer gentle support around:
  • Fuelling adequately for movement
  • Recognising when exercise is driven by anxiety or compulsion
  • Creating a more balanced, flexible exercise routine
  • Understanding the nutritional and metabolic impact of over-exercise
THE BENEFITS

Benefits of Working with an Eating Disorder Dietitian

  • Gentle, personalised support to help you feel safer and more comfortable with food
  • Evidence-based guidance to improve nutrition and energy in a clinically appropriate way
  • Practical tools for planning meals, building structure, and reducing overwhelm
  • Support for physical recovery alongside emotional and psychological well-being
  • A collaborative, integrated approach with your therapist and other clinicians
  • Reduced fear, guilt, or confusion around food and eating
What to expect

What to Expect from a Dietetic Session

A thorough assessment is essential — especially for individuals with anorexia nervosa, who may be at risk of refeeding syndrome. Our dietitians are specially trained to identify clinical risks and to guide nutritional rehabilitation safely. Your first session will be a warm, confidential conversation aimed at understanding your:
  • Current eating patterns
  • Beliefs and concerns about food
  • Weight and health history
  • Physical symptoms
  • Goals for recovery
  • Wider psychological and emotional context
Personalised plan

Develop a personalised plan

You will move at your pace — sessions are collaborative, non-judgemental, and supportive. Your dietitian will work with you to develop a personalised plan. This may include:
  • Setting gentle, achievable goals
  • Exploring food choices
  • Restoring regular eating
  • Broadening food variety
  • Tackling feared or avoided foods
  • Reducing laxative or diuretic use safely
Approach

Our Integrated Approach

The London Centre is known for its joined-up, specialist approach to eating disorder treatment. Dietitians work as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes:

  • Psychologists
  • Psychiatrists
  • Medical professionals
  • Occupational therapists
  • Family therapists
A Place of Specialist Support

Who Can Benefit from Dietetic Support?

Dietetic support is also valuable for parents and family members seeking guidance on how best to support a loved one’s recovery. Dietetic therapy is suitable for:

  • Anyone experiencing an eating disorder
  • Individuals with disordered eating or long-standing food anxiety
  • Those with ARFID or avoidant/restrictive eating patterns
FAQ’s

FAQs About Dietetic Support for Eating Disorders

An assessment is a gentle, confidential conversation exploring your eating patterns, health history, symptoms, and goals. It is not a test, and there is no judgment — just an opportunity to understand your needs so we can support you safely.

No. Eating disorders affect people of all weights, ages, and backgrounds. Dietetic support is beneficial whether you are underweight, within a healthy weight range, or in a larger body.

Yes — we offer both in-person and online appointments for flexibility and accessibility.

Only if it is clinically appropriate, helpful, and aligned with your recovery stage. Any plan will be flexible, supportive, and personalised — never rigid, punitive, or diet-focused.

With your consent, your dietitian and therapist share relevant information and collaborate on treatment goals to ensure a consistent, joined-up approach.

Yes. Family sessions can be included if this would be helpful for your progress or if you are supporting a child or adolescent through recovery.

We offer short waiting times and responsive scheduling so you can begin receiving support without delay.

Start your journey

Take the First Step Towards Recovery

You do not need to manage your relationship with food alone. Whether you are seeking a one-off assessment or ongoing dietetic therapy, our team is here to support you with warmth, expertise, and compassion.

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