Driving and Flying

Anorexia Nervosa and flying

We often get asked if a patient is ‘safe’ to travel. It is worth advising that most insurance companies will not insure patients with severe anorexia nervosa. Holidays are a time when patients are out of their routine, and often they will lose more weight whilst on holiday. Obviously this is concerning given that there may be limited medical facilities available.

Our “Air Travel and Anorexia Nervosa Guideline” may help answer some of your questions.

Driving and eating disorders

There is no overall consensus regarding driving with eating disorders. As with any mental illness, the patient should be advised to contact the DVLA to inform them of the condition. (https://www.gov.uk/eating-disorders-and-driving)

As a ball-park figure, a BMI of 15 is usually used as a cut off for driving, however there are many other factors to take into account which can affect this decision. Click here for a checklist that may help to inform this decision.

If the patient continues to drive without informing the DVLA, and you feel they are at risk to themselves or the public, you may wish to speak with the DVLA for advice.

https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla/y/driving-and-medical-issues