Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
What is Dump The Scales?
Dump The Scales is a UK-based eating disorder awareness and campaigning movement calling for urgent change in how eating disorders are understood, diagnosed, and treated.
We are working to remove harmful reliance on weight and BMI in healthcare and to ensure people get help based on need not size.
Dump The Scales began with a focus just on removal of BMI but has expanded over the last few years focussing on a variety of key issues such as funding, neglect within eating disorder treatment
Why is Dump The Scales needed?
Right now, people across the UK are being turned away from treatment because they are not considered “underweight enough,” people are being turned away for being too complex or too sick.
We have millions of people needing support but the treatment and support just isn’t there. This is dangerous and, in some cases, deadly.
Despite eating disorders having one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness, outdated systems still prioritise weight over psychological distress.
Some organisations provide vital support but systemic change is urgently needed. That’s where Dump The Scales comes in.
Dump the Scales campaign and lobby for all those affected by eating disorders.
Dump the Scales are not funded by the NHS or the Government so we can campaign on every single issue that is impacting people
What is wrong with using BMI for eating disorders?
BMI (Body Mass Index) was never designed to diagnose mental illnesses, yet it is still widely used as a gateway to treatment.
It is a simplistic and outdated measure that reduces health to a single number based only on height and weight. It does not account for body composition, fat distribution, muscle mass, genetics, underlying health conditions, or how someone is functioning day to day.
It cannot measure behaviours, thoughts, or the psychological distress at the core of eating disorders.
Because of this, it can be particularly inaccurate for many people - including those in larger bodies, disabled people, and people whose bodies fall outside the narrow, white European populations BMI was originally based on.
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People in larger bodies are often dismissed
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Black and racialised communities are more likely to have their experiences invalidated or ignored
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People can be severely unwell but denied support
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Treatment is delayed until someone becomes critically ill
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Health inequalities are further reinforced
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Early warning signs are missed or ignored
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People are forced to “prove” their illness through physical deterioration
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Psychological distress is minimised or overlooked
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Access to care becomes dependent on weight, not need
Dump the Scales believes no one should have to get worse to prove they are sick enough.
Do you have to be under weight to have an eating disorder?
No, in fact only 6% of people with an eating disorder are underweight.
Dump The Scales is here to campaign for every single person affected by an eating disorder no matter what their weight.
Eating disorders affect people of all weights, ages, genders, socio-economic backgrounds, sexualities, disability statuses, and backgrounds.
Many people struggling with Binge eating disorder, Bulimia, ARFID, or anorexia may appear “healthy” on the outside but are suffering deeply.
What is Dump The Scales campaigning for?
We are calling for:
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A National standalone Strategy for Eating Disorders
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Earlier intervention and access to care
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Better training for healthcare professionals
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Greater awareness of all eating disorders
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Policy change at a national level
You can read more about our calls to action in our reports here
How can I support Dump The Scales?
You can support the Dump the Scales campaign by:
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Donating to help us reach more people
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Signing and sharing our petition
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Attending our annual march or events
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Sharing your story or campaign content online
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Writing a blog post
What are the donations used for?
Dump the Scales are a small, grassroots campaign. Funds go towards:
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Campaign delivery (events, materials, outreach)
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Advocacy and policy work
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Amplifying lived experience voices
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Building long-term change
Right now, much of the work is powered by unpaid effort but we need funding to sustain and grow and the entire team work voluntarily.
The money we get goes straight to delivery, not on salaries.
Why is awareness still needed for eating disorders?
Eating disorders are often misunderstood and stereotyped.
Many people still believe they only affect teenage white middle class girls in small bodies.
This leads to late diagnosis, stigma, and people falling through the cracks.
There is also a persistent misconception that eating disorders are a choice or a lifestyle, rather than serious and complex mental health conditions. As a result, individuals are sometimes made to feel responsible for their illness, which can lead to shame, a delay in seeking help, and inadequate support.
Raising awareness is vital to challenge stigma, improve early intervention, and ensure everyone can access the care they deserve.
For us at Dump the Scales, awareness is not just about visibility it’s about changing outcomes.
Is Dump The Scales a charity?
Dump The Scales is a Community Interest Company which is a campaigning movement working alongside clinicians, policymakers, and people with lived experience.
Our focus is on driving systemic change, not providing support services.
How is Dump The Scales different from other eating disorder organisations?
Most other eating disorder organisations provide essential support which can be funded by the Government or NHS, Dump
The Scales is focused on:
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Challenging harmful systems
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Changing policy and practice
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Amplifying lived experience
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Creating urgent public pressure for reform
We exist to push for change and call out neglect where the system is failing.
Who founded Dump The Scales?
Hope Virgo is the Founder of the Dump the Scales campaign. Hope uses her lived experience to champion the rights of those affected by eating disorders.
What does the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders do?
Dump The Scales is the Secretariat for the APPG for Eating Disorders. The APPG is a cross party group of MPs who campaign for those affected by eating disorders.
We hold events throughout the year and write reports to help change policy.
You can read our reports here
Where can I get more support?
Dump the Scales CIC are unable to provide individualised support or medical advice.
We have created a guide with a selection of signposted organisations that you can reach out to for guidance.
We have included a mix of organisations from Eating Disorders, general mental health and some of the high risk groups for eating disorders such at LGBTQIA+, marginalised ethnic groups, disability and neurodivergence, addiction, parents & guardians, and financial insecurity.
We always want to hear about more work being carried out by organisations to support mental health - so if there are any organisations you think we could add to the list in the future let us know!
You can find the guide here
Have Any Questions?
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