The sole purpose of IFEDD is to
improve the quality of care
of individuals
with eating disorders by
improving their access
to eating disorder dietitians.
IFEDD members are those dietitians who work or have worked with individuals with eating disorders, conduct research on
eating disorders, educate professionals and the public about eating disorders, and/or consult with eating disorder treatment facilities. It is not required that IFEDD members work exclusively in
the eating disorders field, i.e. they may have additional specialty practice areas. Dietitians who do not work with eating disorders, professionals who are not dietitians, students, past patients,
family members, and others who believe in the IFEDD cause may join as a Friend of IFEDD.
To join IFEDD as a Member or Friend, click here.
The sole purpose of IFEDD is to
improve the quality of care
of individuals with eating
disorders by
improving their access
to eating disorder dietitians.
Identified obstacles include:
- Inadequate insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment and EDD services
- Lack of understanding in the community, regulatory agencies, and healthcare industry of the role of the EDD in eating disorder
treatment
- Inadequate funding for eating disorder research and difficulties of coordinating outcome
research while practicing as an EDD
- Limited eating disorder training in the dietetics curriculum
- Lack of support for the special needs of the EDD within more general professional organizations
To overcome these barriers, IFEDD will support:
- Legislation requiring health insurance coverage of eating disorder treatment and EDD services
- Access to eating disorders education for dietitians and dietetics students
- Credentialling of eating disorder specialist dietitians
- Education of the public, government and industry
decision-makers about eating disorders and the role of the EDD
- Research to improve eating disorders treatment and the efficacy of the EDD in eating disorder treatment
Strategies identified so far:
- Join the Eating Disorders Coalition to represent the voice of the EDD in Washington, and send a representative to EDC policy planning meetings and legislative events
- Alert IFEDD members about advanced eating disorder trainings, conferences and events
- Keep IFEDD members and supporters up to date on issues related to insurance coverage of EDD services
- Provide a forum for IFEDD members to communicate about issues and concerns related to working as an EDD
- Initiate a public relations campaign to educate the public about insurance discrimination against eating disorder treatment
- Provide and publicize an online treatment directory of IFEDD members for anyone seeking eating disorder treatment
- Provide information about the EDD role to students interested in becoming eating disorder dietitians
- Coordinate and encourage research on EDD treatment successes
- Support the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) Certified Eating Disorder Dietitian Credential
(CEDRD)
Would you like to be an IFEDD member or a Friend of IFEDD?
We would love for you to join us. Click here to join, or send us an email with your questions or
ideas.