Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40859297›Full record

ArticleJournal of eating disorders2025

Enhancing eating disorder content in the tertiary curricula of health disciplines in Australia.

Emma C Spiel, Genevieve Pepin, Leah Brennan, Phillipa Hay, Alexandra M Murray, Chris Basten, Mandy Goldstein, Deanne Harris, Rachel Simeone, Sarah Trobe and 1 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of eating disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Emma C SpielNational Eating Disorders Collaboration, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Genevieve PepinSchool of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Leah BrennanSchool of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Phillipa HaySchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia.
Alexandra M MurrayAustralian Psychological Society, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Chris BastenSchool of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Mandy GoldsteinSchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia.
Deanne HarrisNutrition and Dietetics Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital Hunter New England Health, Tamworth, NSW, Australia.
Rachel SimeoneCharles Perkins Centre, InsideOut Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Sarah TrobeNational Eating Disorders Collaboration, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Christie J BennettDepartment of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Christie.bennett@monash.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEating disorders are increasing in prevalence and confer serious physical, emotional and social impacts on individuals, families, communities and systems. Tertiary education of health professionals is key to addressing these impacts. Yet, graduates of key health professions may not complete their studies with the necessary knowledge, skills and confidence to prevent, identify, refer and provide safe care within their role and scope of practice. This study reports on current eating disorder-focused teaching, and opportunities for improvements, within Australian tertiary training programs for key medical and allied health professional groups.

methodsTertiary leaders and educators (n = 205) representing 42 Australian tertiary education institutions (universities and private education organizations) completed an online survey including questions that explored the relevance, importance, barriers and enablers of eating disorder-focused teaching.

resultsThree quarters (76.1%) of participants indicated that students had the opportunity to learn about eating disorders within the current curriculum. Identification (54.1%) and treatment (46.3%) were most likely to be taught; prevention (31.2%) and psychological support (38.0%) were less likely to be taught. Most respondents (85.9%) reported that teaching about eating disorders, disordered eating and body image within their program was either important (23.9%) or very important (62.0%). Perceived challenges to enhancing content included a crowded curriculum, lack of appropriately skilled educators and lack of clarity regarding basic profession-specific competencies and when these should be taught. Potential facilitators include developing materials and networks for implementing best practice training, support of accreditation/professional bodies and use of lived experience educators.

conclusionsMost Australian healthcare educators consider eating disorders important and relevant to their curricula. However, there are limited time and practical opportunities for learning about eating disorders within current curricula. There is a need for guidance and resource development to help support educators to enhance eating disorder content in relevant curricula.

Indexed as

Body imageCurriculaEating disorderEducationNutritionPedagogyTeachingTertiaryTrainingWorkforce

Identifiers

PMID40859297
PMCPMC12381995

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.