Over a span of just five years, there has been a staggering 89% increase in the admissions of young people to hospitals due to eating disorders. And what’s most stark is the rapid escalation in the last year alone, up by 35%. It looks likely that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already troubling trend. While the majority of these admissions are females, there is a clear rise in admissions of boys and young men. They’ve more than doubled in five years, up by 128%
These numbers reflect the growing prevalence of eating problems amongst young people. In 2021 and 2022, three-quarters of girls aged 17-19 screened positive for eating problems, marking a significant increase from 61% in 2017. The number of boys aged 17-19 with eating problems also leapt up, from 30% to 45%.1
Sadly it's not just the prevalence of these issues we need to be worried about. It’s the lack of available support. There have been concerning delays in urgent referrals for treatment, both during and after the pandemic. The number of referrals has increased, and so has the proportion of those waiting longer for treatment.2
Chart data source:
https://digital.nhs.uk/supplementary-information/2021/hospital-admissions-for-eating-disorders-2015-2021
- 1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-nation-2022-children-and-young-peoples-wellbeing
- 2 https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/children-and-young-people-with-an-eating-disorder-waiting-times