2023-06-22 08:30:00
Eating disorders (ED) include anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating disorder. These eating behaviors can persist over time, and have psychological as well as physical repercussions.
A strong link between the Covid-19 pandemic and increased EDs
In a study published in the Lancetresearchers identified an increase in ADRs in young girls aged 13 to 16 in the UK during the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, from March 2020 to March 2022. They also recorded a strong increase in cases of self-harm in the same population.
For the purposes of this research, scientists from the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Medicines Safety at the University of Manchester (UK) analyzed the medical records of more than 9 million young patients aged between 10 and 24 years old. . In a second step, they used medical data produced from 2010 to 2020, in order to determine the expected rates of ED and self-harm if the coronavirus pandemic had not taken place. The actual rates of diagnoses assessed between March 2020 and March 2022 were then compared to the estimated rates.
The rate of self-harm diagnoses is 38% higher than expected between 2020 and 2022
According to the researchers, the rate of ED diagnoses was 42% higher than expected among girls aged 13 to 16 from March 2020 to March 2022. Nearly 3,862 cases were recorded compared to 2,713 cases expected if the pandemic had not taken place. A similar finding was observed for cases of self-harm. The diagnosis rate was 38% higher than expected, with 9,174 cases identified once morest 6,631 expected cases.
The study authors indicated that the significant increase in EDs and self-harm is a long-term consequence of the pandemic. They called for improved measures for the early diagnosis of mental health difficulties, rapid access to treatment, and continued support from health professionals, in order to limit the risk of these disorders persisting into adulthood. .
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