East Meets West: Building Bridges in Eating Disorder Awareness – Webinar 2025
By: Dr Lakshmi Sravanti1, Dr John Vijay Sagar Kommu21 Assistant Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, India
2 Professor & HOD, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, India
Eating disorders have long been viewed as a predominantly Western phenomenon, with relatively little awareness or sparse literature emerging from Eastern contexts, especially India. However, with the rapid pace of modernization and cultural globalization, clinical observations and emerging research suggest a growing prevalence of disordered eating patterns in India. Despite this trend, there continues to be a lack of standard operating procedures or well-established management protocols tailored to socio-cultural realities of the country.
Recognizing this gap, the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), India, felt the pressing need to build collaborative bridges with global experts in the field. In 2024, we initiated a cross-cultural educational effort to mark World Eating Disorders Action Day (June 2nd) by partnering with professionals from the Oxfordshire Eating Disorders Pathway, United Kingdom. The webinar aimed to introduce Indian mental health professionals to key concepts in the assessment and management of anorexia nervosa.
Encouraged by the feedback, particularly the strong request for deeper insights into the management of anorexia nervosa, we organized a second consecutive webinar on the 26th of July, 2025. This time, we expanded both the scope and ambition, emphasizing a culturally sensitive lens in understanding the management of this condition.
Figure 1: Members of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS.
“Anorexia Nervosa: Translating Evidence into Action across Cultural Contexts”, the 2025 edition of the webinar was marked by three major developments:
1. Academic Collaboration Across Cultures – We were privileged to include experts from Kyoto University, Japan, adding another cultural perspective to the discourse and deepening our understanding of the transcultural dimensions of eating disorders.
2. Launch of Scientifically Developed IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) Material – We released child- and parent-friendly informational booklets that used a storytelling format. The experiences of Babli the Deer, the central character, guide readers through narratives exploring body image concerns, restrictive eating, and the emotional world of affected children and families.
3. Presentation of Indigenous Research – We presented the ongoing work from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, India, offering grounded insights into the development of protocols for managing anorexia nervosa in the Indian context.
We received 135 registrations from across India, as well as from Malaysia and Cambodia, with participants actively engaging in the sessions through questions and reflections.
Following the opening remarks, the Director of NIMHANS Dr Pratima Murthy officially released the IEC materials: When Feelings Hide in Food – an overview of eating disorders in children and adolescents, and Babli’s Silent Struggles – a story about navigating the challenges of anorexia nervosa through the journey of Babli, a deer from the fictional forest of Neelavana. Alongside her friend Mira the myna, and with the support of her family and other forest members, including a wise owl, Babli learns to overcome her struggles.
Figure 2: Cover pages of the two IEC booklets released during the webinar
Prof. Meena K.S., Head of the Department of Mental Health Education, NIMHANS, opened the academic sessions by emphasizing the importance of raising awareness on eating disorders in the Indian context. This was followed by Prof. Caz Nahman, who presented an overview of the principles of managing anorexia nervosa in children and adolescents. The session then moved to Dr. Masanori Isobe’s talk titled “Multidisciplinary Team Inpatient Care for Anorexia Nervosa in Japan”, and concluded with a presentation by Dr. Madhushree Baruah, Senior Resident in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NIMHANS, on developing meal plans for the management of anorexia nervosa. Thus, the program created a complete arc – from discussing the gaps in the Indian context, to exploring advanced and evidence-based practices in the UK, to understanding specific inpatient multidisciplinary approaches in Japan, and finally presenting indigenous efforts at bridging these gaps in India. What stood out most was the sense of collective commitment — despite the geographical distances, the shared goal of improving awareness, care, and compassion for young people struggling with eating disorders brought everyone together in a meaningful dialogue.
Figure 3: Prof John Vijay Sagar, Dr Lakshmi Sravanti, and Prof Meena K S (L -> R)
Prof. John Vijay Sagar, Head of the Department, delivered the concluding remarks, reaffirming the commitment to work in this area, establish standard protocols, and continue teaching/training efforts, with the aim of making this an annual event every June or July. The discussions sparked concrete ideas for collaborative research, adaptation of existing evidence-based protocols to local cultural contexts, and creation of shared resource materials for clinicians across the country. The momentum generated underscored the value of sustained dialogue and the need for platforms that connect disciplines, geographies, and sectors in child and adolescent mental health. This initiative reaffirmed our belief that cross-cultural exchange, rooted in empathy and science, is key to shaping the future of adolescent mental health – with shared wisdom lighting the way forward.
Speakers' Reflections
Prof Meena K S
“Delivering the session at the webinar was both a responsibility and a privilege, offering a space to address an issue often hidden by silence and stigma. Presenting at a webinar with international experts allowed me to share the Indian context and stress the urgent need for awareness as a lifeline for adolescents. Discussions on lived experiences, Human Library events, and narrative-based approaches reinforced my belief in the power of stories to challenge stigma and build empathy. I hope these conversations lead to practical, culturally sensitive actions so young people feel supported before struggles escalate. I look forward to more platforms that inspire dialogue and meaningful change in addressing eating disorders.”
Dr Masanori Isobe,
“It was a great honor to participate in the webinar. The diverse presentations were incredibly informative and will be very useful in my own clinical practice. I was particularly impressed by the wide-ranging questions that followed each talk. What I found especially valuable was the attention given to cultural and environmental differences. The earnest desire to apply these insights to individual clinical environments highlighted the significant impact of this event. I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate again in the future.”
This article represents the view of its author(s) and does not necessarily represent the view of the IACAPAP's bureau or executive committee.
