Terveystalo and the Eating Disorder Association working together towards responsible and effective solutions

– Our skills complement each other. We have a broad perspective on the health of the working age population and a strong multidisciplinary team of professionals to support our clients. The Eating Disorder Association, on the other hand, has invaluable expertise in supporting responsible lifestyle changes and sustainable weight management, as well as in identifying eating disorders. Nutrition and eating habits play an important role in well-being, overall well-being and work capacity, but lifestyle counselling must not feel pressurised or contain distorted values to avoid creating new problems. By working together, we are boosting Terveystalo's staff's expertise in an eating disorder-sensitive approach, which will help our professionals to provide effective and sustainable disease prevention and treatment and to take care of Finns' ability to work," says Ilse Rauhaniemi, Terveystalo's Chief Occupational Health Physician.

Eating disorders affect people of all ages

As many as one in ten Finns has suffered from an eating disorder. Of these, only one in three is identified by the health service and one in four has received targeted treatment for their eating disorder. Research also shows that the number of different eating disorders is constantly increasing. Contrary to popular belief, eating disorders affect people of all ages.

Eating disorders are serious mental health problems that have a significant impact on quality of life and ability to work. They can manifest themselves in working-age people as mood or fatigue symptoms, concentration problems or body-food relationship challenges, making it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to manage their own well-being and well-being at work and in their leisure time. An eating disorder with its associated symptoms can be a drain on resources as the mind dwells on eating-related thoughts.

– Everyone has the right to a healthy mind and body. We hope to work with health professionals to develop solutions to better identify and prevent eating disorders. We also believe that we will find ways to improve the quality of care for eating disorders. People of all sizes have the right to be treated in an eating disorder-sensitive way," says Kirsi Broström, Executive Director of the Eating Disorder Association.

– For Terveystalo's customers, the cooperation means safer and more effective lifestyle counselling, which we use to increase our customers' overall well-being and ability to work and function. Effective lifestyle counselling and sustainable body or weight management do not have to be mutually exclusive, emphasises Rauhaniemi.