Eating disorders have been on the rise for years, and we’ve always known that there are many more people struggling than statistics could show.

 

Yet, there was a sharp intake of breath in response to the recent release of the Health Survey for England 2019 Eating Disorders Report which found that, even pre-pandemic, 19 per cent of women and 13 of men in England could test positive for an eating disorder.

 

Since the study was carried out, the number of people struggling has been exacerbated by lockdown, with particular concern about the risks of restrictive eating disorders in children. In December last year, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health alerted parents to look out for anorexia and other restrictive eating disorders in their loved ones, citing social media use, health insecurity and bearing witness to family difficulties, such as financial insecurity, as contributing factors.

 

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Written by
Kerrie Jones

Kerrie is a leading psychotherapist in the treatment of eating disorders, lecturer on an MSc in Attachment Studies at Roehampton University and the founder of Orri. She has delivered training throughout the UK on Eating Disorders and Attachment and is a former Eating Disorder Lead at The Priory where she worked with clients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

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