Alarming figures reveal eating disorders have soared 15-fold since before Covid: One in eight teens now suffer from likes of bulimia or anorexia

Eating disorders among young people have increased more than 15 times in England since before the pandemic, according to alarming new figures.

One in eight 17- to 19-year-olds now suffer from bulimia, anorexia or binge eating – up from less than one in 100 in 2017.

The figures are especially dramatic among women: more than one in five in this age group suffers from it.

Experts said last night that the figures show eating disorders are no longer ‘rare’ as they blamed social media, Covid lockdowns and the rising cost of living for fueling a mental health crisis.

They also warned that the NHS and schools are failing to cope with growing demand for care, which could damage the future life chances of patients and students.

The new Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 report, published by NHS England, shows that 12.5 percent of 17 to 19-year-olds have an eating disorder, up from 0.8 percent in 2017.

The figures among women in this age group have risen from 1.6 percent to 20.8 percent, while the figures among men of the same age have risen from 0.0 percent to 5.1 percent.

This year’s survey also found that eating disorders occur in 5.9 percent of 20- to 25-year-olds and 2.6 percent of 11- to 16-year-olds, mostly in high school.

The latter figure is up from 0.5 percent in 2017 when the data was last collected, and figures this year are four times higher among girls (4.3 percent) than boys (1.0 percent ).

The survey of 2,370 people aged eight to 25 was conducted by the Office for National Statistics, the National Center for Social Research, the University of Cambridge and the University of Exeter, and is considered England’s best data source for trends in the mental health of young people.

Participants completed questionnaires that allowed researchers to clinically diagnose them with an eating disorder, which is characterized by disturbances in eating behavior, appetite or food intake.

Tom Quinn, director of external affairs at Beat, the eating disorder charity, said: ‘These figures have brought into sharp focus the devastating scale of eating disorders in children and young people in England.

‘Every day we hear from those who have been let down by the system, fallen through the cracks and become even sicker – and urgent action is needed now.

‘Eating disorders are often thought to be rare mental health conditions, but this new data clearly shows that they are much more common than most people realise.

‘Now is the time to put support for those affected – including adults – at the forefront of mental health policy, and to prioritize dedicated funding most urgently.

‘There will never be a simple reason why rates have risen so dramatically, but the impact of the pandemic cannot be underestimated.

‘During lockdown, many young people went weeks or months without social interaction, with essential precautions such as teachers and school nurses unable to spot the first signs.

‘Additionally, spending more time viewing harmful content on social media could worsen symptoms in people who are already ill or vulnerable.’

Survey responses from parents, children and young people were also used to estimate the likelihood that a child might have a mental disorder of any kind. This was classified as ‘unlikely’, ‘possible’ or ‘probable’.

The research found that in 2023, 20.3 percent of eight to sixteen year olds had a probable mental disorder.

Among 17 to 19 year olds this share was 23.3 percent, while among 20 to 25 year olds it was 21.7 percent.

After an increase in the number of probable mental disorders between 2017 and 2020, the prevalence remained at a similar level between 2022 and 2023 in all age groups.

Jo Holmes, head of children, young people and families at the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy, said: ‘The figures should act as a wake-up call to the Government that more investment is urgently needed in services such as school and community-based services. consultancy services in England.

‘Family issues, the cost of living, exams, bullying, pressure from social media, self-esteem and the impact of the pandemic are just some of the issues children and young people are currently facing.’

NHS England has deployed 398 mental health support teams in schools and colleges to provide early support for young people with mild to moderate mental health problems.

A further 200 teams are currently in training and are expected to be operational by spring 2025, which would extend coverage to more than 50 per cent of the country’s students, but charities fear these will be ‘spread too thin’.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said: ‘Getting help and support to children and young people as quickly as possible is crucial for their future life chances, wellbeing and social development – ​​whether that be in the areas of mental health, hospital or community settings.

‘Far too many young people are queuing for diagnosis and the right support.

“We need urgent intergovernmental action to get to grips with an ongoing crisis.

‘With almost 1.9 million people in England on the waiting list for mental health help and demand growing, NHS trusts are deeply concerned that so many people, especially children and young people, are not receiving the support and get the treatment they need.”

Claire Murdoch, director of mental health at NHS England, said: ‘The NHS is providing support to more children and young people than ever before.

‘We have already supported more than 700,000 children and young people with their mental health this year and also saw a 47 per cent increase in the number of young people treated for eating disorders compared to before the pandemic.’