Teenage gymnast from Derbyshire suffering from anorexia sets up petition after BMI classed as 'healthy'

Grace Wood,18, from Eckington struggled with symptoms of anorexia since November 2022, but could not get support until she ended up in a hospital a few weeks ago with serious complications.

Grace, who had been restricting her food portions since she started university in September, first went to a GP in November after feeling very dizzy.

Sarah, Grace’s mum, said: “We were told by a GP that her BMI was classed as healthy so there wasn’t an immediate issue to worry about. We later found out that this was because of her muscle mass affecting the BMI.”

Grace continued to struggle and started to feel really unwell during the Christmas break. An ECG and blood tests revealed her heart rate was very low.

Sarah said: “They told us that they could refer Grace to an eating disorder service but she may not be accepted because her BMI was still classed as healthy.”

Grace has been to A&E three times this year because of low heart rate.

Sarah said: “She was looking very pale, feeling dizzy, she had numb hands and feet. Each time we went to A&E her heart rate was in the 30s.

"The problem got so serious that Grace had to stay in a cardiac care unit for four days. Her heart rate dropped to 27 overnight - which was seriously, dangerously low."

Nurses from the cardiac unit called the Derbyshire Eating Disorders Services, where Grace had not been previously accepted because she was not hitting the criteria due to her BMI.

Sarah said: “After the nurses called them, they came out straight away the next day. They have been absolutely fantastic. Now Grace has a team of people looking after her including a dietician, therapist, and specialists checking her heart rate.

"We finally feel looked after. That was all we wanted from the beginning. If Grace had an early intervention in November, we would avoid having to use all these services and taking up a valid space.

"If she got support earlier, Grace would not get to a point where she can’t do anything. She’s gone from exercising every day and burning off 900 calories a day to doing nothing. She can’t even go for a walk. She had to stop university for now and she’s just stuck in the house.

"The specialist who checks her heart rate said the recovery will take between 20 and 40 weeks, it is a slow process.”

To help other eating disorder sufferers, who are not receiving help due to their BMI showing as ‘healthy’, Grace has started a petition to the government in the hope for a change in the diagnosis process.

Sarah said: “I’m very proud of Grace for setting up the petition. I had messages from other parents who are having the same struggles. Grace had messages from girls who have been in the same situation as her. More and more younger girls are athletic, they are training, and have higher muscle mass. This problem is going to carry on if nothing changes.”