October 2026 Newsletter

Kia ora e te whānau, 

Exam season is here. University exams have already started and run until mid-November, and NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams run from Tuesday 10 November until Friday 4 December. Exams can be a stressful time for students and the whole whānau, and this month we look at how they can affect those who are vulnerable to developing, or are going through, an eating disorder, and what carers can do to support their loved ones through this time. 

I was invited to be the guest speaker on Newstalk ZB’s “The Nutters Club” podcast. It was wonderful to see Hamish and Kyle do what they do with such patience, compassion and empathy. If you’d like to listen to the episode, here is the link: https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/nutters-club/audio/eating-disorders-recognising-the-signs-and-finding-a-way-to-recovery/  

Talking about podcasts, I was recently contacted by Zola, who created a podcast called “A love letter to my sister”, based on her experience of walking alongside her sister through an eating disorder. I’ve really enjoyed it. Here is a link to one of the episodes: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1n7q2ssjmNRSa6CPDWOtW0

Ngā mihi nui,
Andrea Bonetto, volunteer and Chairperson

Exams, Stress and Disordered Eating

Exam periods mean long study hours, pressure to perform and disrupted routines. Research shows stress during exams can affect eating in more than one direction. In a recent study, university students reported resorting to both overeating and restriction as ways of coping with academic stress.¹ 

Many people with eating disorders also hold themselves to very high standards and put a great deal of pressure on themselves, which can make exam time especially hard.² 

The same study also looked at sleep. As students felt more overwhelmed by their workload, their sleep difficulties increased, and poor sleep appeared to be one of the links between stress and changes in eating (see our Research Corner below).¹ A five-year study of adolescents also found that poorer sleep predicted increases in eating disorder symptoms over time, partly through more worry and negative thinking.³ 

Whether your loved one is living with food freedom or is in treatment, the exam period can disrupt the routines that support them, such as regular mealtimes, sleep and time with whānau. Acknowledge that they are going through a stressful time, keep communication open, and see our Tip of the Month below for ways to help them through it.

References: 

¹ Strete, E.G., Cincu, M.G. & Sălcudean, A. Disordered Eating Behaviors, Perceived Stress and Insomnia During Academic Exams: A Study Among University Students. Medicina 61(7), 1226 (2025). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12300404/ 

² Bills, E., Greene, D., Stackpole, R. & Egan, S.J. Perfectionism and eating disorders in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Appetite 187, 106586 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106586 

Vicent, M., Gonzálvez, C., Quiles, M.J. & Sánchez-Meca, J. Perfectionism and binge eating association: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eat Disord 11(1), 101 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00817-9 

³ Richardson, C., Magson, N.R., Oar, E., Fardouly, J., Johnco, C., Freeman, J. & Rapee, R.M. Repetitive Negative Thinking Mediates the Relationship Between Sleep Disturbance and Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Depression, and Eating Disorders in Adolescence: Findings From a 5-Year Longitudinal Study. Clinical Psychological Science, 104–127 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026241230458

Supporting your loved one through exams

For families with students of any age

• Plan ahead with the treatment team: if your loved one is in treatment, share your concerns about the upcoming exam period with their clinician early, and ask how to keep meal support on track during this time.
• Keep meals and snacks regular, including on exam days: make extra time for your loved one to eat the meals they need. This helps their healing continue and gives them the energy they need to do their best in their exams.
• Protect sleep: late-night study and screens can compromise sleep, and poor sleep is linked to disordered eating.
• Watch for warning signs: we all cope with stress in different ways. You know your loved one best, so keep an eye out for behaviours that you recognise are not your loved one, but the eating disorder.
• Focus on effort, not results: praising effort and keeping exams in perspective can ease pressure, especially for young people who hold themselves to very high standards.
• Look after yourself too: supporting someone through exams is demanding. Our monthly carer support groups are there for you.

If your loved one is at high school

• Talk to the school: there is help available. According to NZQA, support is usually managed by modifying the student’s assessment programme to help them get well, and/or by requesting special assessment conditions. A derived grade may also be possible if there is a significant change to a long-term illness, condition or trauma.¹ Your school’s NCEA coordinator can advise on what applies. Use every resource available; these are there to help your loved one keep well and do their best.

If your loved one is at university

• Be there if you can: if you are able to be with them during their exams, go. If you can’t, keep in touch regularly, and make sure that your conversations are not just centred on food.
• Ask how they would like to be supported: with online grocery shopping and delivery, check-ins with the university health centre, etc.
• Check what help the university offers: most universities have processes and services for students whose exams are affected by illness. Inform yourself of all support services available to students and encourage your loved one to use them.

¹ NZQA, Derived grades: guidelines for schools. https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation-of-standards/managing-national-assessment-in-schools/derived-grades/4-schools-pns/guidelines/
 NZQA, Derived grades: information for candidates. https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/ncea-for-teachers-and-schools/managing-national-assessment-in-schools/derived-grades/information-for-candidates/

For further reading, Beat (UK) and Bodywhys (Ireland) also share helpful guidance for carers supporting someone through exams:
 https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-and-exams/supporting-someone-during-exams/
 https://www.bodywhys.ie/supporting-someone/exams-school-and-college/

Stress, sleep and eating during exams

Disordered Eating Behaviors, Perceived Stress and Insomnia During Academic Exams: A Study Among University Students

Strete, E.G., Cincu, M.G. & Sălcudean, A. Disordered Eating Behaviors, Perceived Stress and Insomnia During Academic Exams: A Study Among University Students.

61(7), 1226 (2025).

The study surveyed 317 university students across Romania during a four-month period that included an exam session, using validated questionnaires, including the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q).

The researchers found that students experiencing high stress during exams reported significantly greater difficulties with sleep and higher levels of disordered eating than their peers with lower stress. The behaviours linked with stress included binge eating, feeling a lack of control over eating, restrictive eating and excessive exercise to compensate for eating.

What stood out for us was that when the researchers looked at stress and sleep together, it was poor sleep, not stress itself, that still predicted overeating. The authors suggest that sleep disturbances may increase the risk of unhealthy eating patterns under stress.

You can read the whole research paper at: https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61071226

Note:

Because the study measured everything at a single point in time, it cannot show that stress or poor sleep causes disordered eating, and it relied on self-reported questionnaires. It also used a convenience sample of Romanian university students, so the findings may not apply to other groups. The participants were students in general, not people diagnosed with an eating disorder.

Our volunteers work incredibly hard to support carers, and we love hearing from you. 

This one may be short, but feedback like this means a great deal to us!

"Thank you for your awesome mahi. Your team is awesome." 
- South Island Health Provider

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Join the EDANZ Helpline: Supporting others on the journey

The EDANZ helpline is EDANZ’s core service for families navigating an eating disorder. We are looking for more volunteers to join our helpline team. If you have supported a loved one through an eating disorder and feel ready to give back, your experience can make a real difference to families who are now where you once were.

You don’t need to give a lot of time; every hour helps. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch and we can have a chat about what’s involved.

Get in touch

Upcoming support group meetings

EDANZ believes parents/carers have unique abilities to support one another and we hold regular meetings to which you are warmly invited. Currently, we're joining together around the country on the first Wednesday of every month over Zoom. 

If you would like to participate in a virtual support group, please RSVP to info@ed.org.nz and we'll send you the link.

Upcoming meetings:  

• Wednesday, 4 November at 8pm
• Wednesday, 2 December at 8pm