Eating disorders
2.7 million Canadians have experienced an eating disorder in their lifetime.1
Eating disorders are treatable mental health conditions. They can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or socioeconomic background. They include anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder.
5 good reasons to start offering Mental Health Focus
- Risks: More and more young people are adopting eating behaviours that could turn into an eating disorder. Between 12% and 30% of girls and 9% and 25% of boys ages 10–14 report dieting to lose weight.1
- Prejudice: 40% of Canadians mistakenly believe that eating disorders are a choice, and 21% think they’re genetic.2
- Access to care: Most people who have eating disorders aren’t seeking or receiving treatment. And those who want care are facing long wait times.1
- Severity: The overall mortality rate associated with eating disorders is between 10% and 15%.1
- Consequences: The social and economic costs associated with eating disorders are similar to those of depression and anxiety.1
How does the Mental Health Focus offer stand out?
It provides employers and their employees a solution that covers all aspects of eating disorders. The offer includes:
- Targeted prevention tools, including a specific section on the Health is Cool 360° platform for plan members.
- Care and quick referrals to specialized resources through telemedicine, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and the Manager Assistance Program (MAP).
- Personalized support through Health PACT, a telephone coaching service that helps plan members navigate the healthcare system and find the eating disorder specialists they need (doctors, nutritionists, treatment centres, etc.).
- Treatments within reach: Eating disorder treatments are now eligible for reimbursement under the supplementary healthcare benefit.
- Optimized disability and rehabilitation management, thanks to proper tools and training provided to the people involved.
Benefits of Mental Health Focus
+ One of the first group insurance offers to cover eating disorder treatments
+ A holistic approach to mental health that provides access to multiple specialists
+ An initiative that consolidates all available mental health resources to help plan members easily find what they’re looking for
1. Canadian Eating Disorders Strategy: 2019–2029, Canadian Eating Disorders Alliance (2019). 2. Ipsos Reid poll for the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC), 2015.
Desjardins Insurance refers to Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company.