AN MSP whose daughter died from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa has made an emotional plea for sufferers to seek help.
Marking the start of Anorexia Awareness Week, Dennis Robertson also stepped up pressure on the Scottish Government to provide more support for people with the condition and their families.
He said: "It is a very emotive issue for me, and I stand with other parents that have lost a loved one by an eating disorder.
"It is important to promote Anorexia Awareness Week, because people with eating disorders often feel shame and don't want to talk openly about it.
"Everyone with an eating disorder needs to know there is real help available, that there are people out there that understand what they are going through and are willing and ready to talk and listen."
He added: "I have had important discussions with the Scottish Government and stakeholders to ensure that eating disorders remain a priority issue, and I am confident much- needed action will come."
Mr Robertson, the SNP MSP for Aberdeenshire West, led a Holyrood debate on eating disorders a year ago. In a moving speech, he described the loss of his daugher Caroline, 19, in 2011. His contribution to the debate and persistent efforts to raise awareness were recognised in The Herald's Politician of the Year awards, when he was named Debater of the Year.
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