Suicide is a leading cause of death among people with eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-harm are also prevalent. It is estimated that one-third of people with an eating disorder have attempted suicide. The reasons for this increased vulnerability are not fully understood but likely involve a range of intersecting factors that may contribute to heightened risk of suicidality, including experiences of trauma, economic disadvantage, neurodivergence, disability, severe and enduring mental health disorders, experiences of discrimination faced LGBTQIA+ and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and a fragmented system of care, which can reinforce isolation and risk.
Consistent with Australia’s national suicide prevention priorities, suicide prevention requires coordinated, person-centred, and evidence-based care pathways that address the broader social, cultural, and psychological determinants of suicide. To support cross-sectoral partnerships and foster innovative and practical solutions, the National Eating Disorders Collaboration, with the National Suicide Prevention Office, will convene a roundtable event on 1 April 2026. The event will bring together people with lived experience, including families and supporters, clinicians, researchers, and policy leaders to explore the challenges facing the sector and what is required to build a system of care that is responsive to the needs of individuals with eating disorders who are impacted by suicidal thoughts and behaviours, as well as the families and supporters who care for them.
The poster will present the findings of the roundtable event, including an examination of suicide risk factors specific to individuals with eating disorders, the dynamic nature of suicide risk across the course of recovery, and the barriers to accessing supports that address both suicidality and eating disorders. The poster will also provide an overview of evidence-based approaches to addressing suicidality in the context of eating disorders, outline what is required to ensure services can deliver effective and timely support and present the roundtable’s recommendations for building suicide prevention capability within the eating disorder workforce, as well as strengthening eating disorder capability within suicide prevention services.
This work will demonstrate the power of cross-sector collaboration in shaping suicide prevention responses that are person-centred and evidence-based.