Eating disorders costing billions

If Australia improved its sporadic and disconnected treatment of those with eating disorders it could save the economy billions, a health group says.

The Butterfly Foundation has commissioned a cost-benefit analysis of the impact of eating disorders on the economy, which its chairman David Murray says builds a "business case" for improved intervention programs.

The Deloitte Access Economics report, released on Monday, finds eating disorders will cost the economy more than $27 billion over 10 years.

It said better intervention programs would cost $2.8 billion over the same period.

But the economic benefits would total $15.1 billion.

In 2014 an estimated 945,000 Australians suffered from eating disorders such as anorexia, with fewer than 30 per cent of sufferers seeking help.

Mr Murray hit out at the "sporadic, disconnected and inconsistent" treatment now available in Australia, and said improved early intervention services were critical.

"The report advances a clear economic imperative for Australia's investment in treatment for these disorders," the former Commonwealth Bank boss said.

"Optimal treatment will pay for itself more than five times over."

The multi-billion dollar intervention program would also dramatically improve recovery rates from five-to-eight per cent, to 50 to 80 per cent.

"This will improve the lives of tens of thousands of people," the report said.

More than 1900 people died because of an eating disorder last year.