The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) guides thousands of Canadians through their toughest moments, helping transform crisis into hope, each year.
"Eating disorders are among the most lethal of all mental illnesses," says Dr. Ishrat Husain, Department Head and Program Medical Director, UHN Mental Health. "That's why public education and awareness are critical for prevention and to encourage people to seek help early."
On December 2, NEDIC marked 40 years as a lifeline for Canadians affected by eating disorders. It operates Canada's only dedicated eating disorders helpline, providing confidential assistance to anyone seeking support.
Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders and backgrounds, yet only about 10 per cent receive timely care.
When NEDIC opened in 1985, eating disorders were often misunderstood and dismissed as a choice or a phase. Treatment was difficult to access. Backed by funding from the Health League of Canada, a public health organization, a group of concerned health care providers established a small office to develop educational resources and operate an information helpline.
"Our vision was to create a place where people could turn for guidance and hope," recalls Dr. Daniel C. Andreae, then executive director of the Health League and currently Chair of NEDIC's Advisory Council.
"The belief that every person deserves compassionate, evidence-based support has remained at the heart of NEDIC's work."
Clear information when distress is highest
Two years later, NEDIC found a permanent home at Toronto General Hospital.
"Our job is not to diagnose anyone or provide therapy," says Suzanne Phillips, Program Manager. "It's to support people in the moment and connect them with the right resources."
The helpline became toll-free in 2000 and adopted evening hours 12 years later to better support callers across Canada's multiple time zones. A live chat service launched in 2018 with weekend hours added shortly after. Last year the service supported over 6,000 people — more than half under age 25.
"Younger users wanted to connect online," says Phillips, who joined NEDIC in 2007. "Now three-quarters of our contacts come through chat."
Demand surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Calls and chats rose by 250 per cent as isolation and stress worsened disordered eating. Although volumes have eased since, they remain well above pre-pandemic levels, leading NEDIC to introduce Jem®, a rules-based chatbot, that offers 24/7 support.
NEDIC's website and outreach programs now reach thousands of students, parents, educators and professionals each year. NEDIC's website and outreach programs now reach thousands of students, parents, educators and professionals each year, offering a growing collection of multi-lingual resources downloaded over 25,000 times annually.
Presentations to K-12 audiences and post-secondary students extend NEDIC's reach even further with nearly 6,000 people attending sessions last year. NEDIC has also built long-standing partnerships with Canadian and international organizations to strengthen education and resource sharing.
NEDIC team member turned medical resident
For Dr. Candice Richardson, a first-year family medicine resident at the University of Toronto, NEDIC was a formative training ground. She joined as an outreach volunteer in 2015, later moving to the helpline when she was hired as a Helpline Worker, which she continued until entering medical school in 2021.
Her commitment to the cause is personal.
"I have lived experience from when I was an adolescent and saw how hard it was to get treatment and how it affected my whole family," she says. "My parents had to fight tooth and nail to get me well again and that's unfortunately really common."
Her work at NEDIC deepened that understanding.
"I think NEDIC is a very special place," she adds. "Being around the team and learning through the role, you see how deeply eating disorders affect lives and how meaningful it is to know that treatment and recovery are possible."
That ripple effect — equipping volunteers and staff who later move into health care roles— has become one of NEDIC's quiet contributions to the system. It also complements UHN's clinical eating disorders program by meeting people upstream, before concerns escalate.
"NEDIC helps address misinformation and stigma, which are both common barriers that keep people from seeking support," says Dr. Husain. "Early detection and intervention, especially for young people, can significantly improve outcomes."
Building on its existing initiatives, NEDIC plans to upgrade its website, expand its webinar series and translate resources into more languages.
