People in Bury with eating disorders can seek help on their doorstep.
The Priory Highbank Eating Disorder Service is offering free professional advice for people suffering directly or indirectly from disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
Dr Kay Callender, a lead consultant psychiatrist with the Bury service, said many sufferers found themselves on a relentless pursuit of an elusive perfect figure - highlighted by the attention heaped on size zero models.
In the UK, around one million people have an eating disorder and half of these are reported to be teenage girls aged 15-19.
Dr Callender said: "Body image is one of the major contributing factors to sufferers of eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
"It is also the combination of many factors, events, feelings or pressures which lead to people feeling unable to cope. These can include lack of self-esteem, family relationships, the death of someone special, problems with friends or at school, and sexual or emotional abuse. It is a very complex issue."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article