‘The government must do better ’: Why are two thirds of teenagers at risk of eating disorders?

‘There is a crisis around eating disorders in the country but nothing is being done about it,’ one charity tells Saman Javed

Close up of a therapists notes and a students knees during a mental health meeting (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Two-thirds of teenagers in England could be at risk of developing an eating disorder, new data suggests.

According to the NHS’ latest survey on the mental health of children and young people in the country, 58.2 per cent of those aged between 17 and 19 years old met criteria that indicated problems with eating. This figure rose among those of university age, reaching 62.5 per cent for people between 20 to 23 years old.

The survey, which looked at data on 3,667 young people from 2017 through to 2021, found that the rates of children who were at risk of developing an eating disorder were the highest in girls. In those aged between 17 to 19, 76.4 per cent indicated problems with eating, while 75.9 per cent of those aged between 20 and 23 years old met the criteria.

Gemma Oaten, manager of SEED Eating Disorder Support Service, a charity that helps those struggling with eating disorders, described the figures as “heartbreaking”.

“There is a crisis around eating disorders in the country but nothing is being done about it,” she told The Independent.

“What does it have to take for us to be heard? More and more teenagers, especially those at university age are struggling

“So many have been let down, there’s more than can be done and that the government can do better, and they must do better,” she says.

The results of the NHS survey come just weeks after BEAT, the UK’s official eating disorder charity, published a report finding that just £1.13 for every person who has an eating disorder was invested into research in the area every year between 2009 and 2019.

Despite the prevalence of eating disorders in the UK – BEAT estimates that they affect approximately 1.25 million people, of which 25 per cent are male – the field accounted for just one per cent of the UK’s mental health research funding between 2015 and 2019.

BEAT said its findings highlight the need for a “particular focus” on the research of eating disorders among underrepresented groups, including men and boys, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and people with binge eating disorders.

Dr Dasha Nicholls, a clinical reader in child and adolescent psychiatry, said that “addressing years of underfunding for eating disorder research has to be a priority if current and future generations of young people are to be spared the tragic consequences on their lives and their families of these devastating illnesses”.

“Research activity and capacity in the field, relative to disorders of comparable severity and impact, is woefully inadequate and needs targeted investment,” she said.

Following the NHS’ latest findings, Oaten has highlighted the importance of early intervention, which she said is key in preventing eating disorders and saving young people’s lives.

“How long do we continue in this vicious cycle? When will it ever come to a point where it is understood that the sooner someone is seen and treated around an eating disorder, the chances of recovery are so much higher?

“Early intervention is so important when it comes to eating disorders. If we get those people struggling supported early on, we can bring them back to a life where they don’t just live with an eating disorder, they can survive,” she said.

Another added problem is the strain of the pandemic on the NHS, which has seen waiting lists for disorder treatment significantly increase. In August, data from NHS England revealed that four times more children and young people were in line for eating disorder treatment at the end of June 2021 than the previous year.

Additionally, 207 children are waiting for urgent treatment in August, the highest total in records going back to 2016. Tom Quinn, director of external affairs at BEAT said the pandemic has had a “massive impact” on people with eating disorders.

“For some who already had an eating disorder their illness has worsened, more people have developed an eating disorder for the first time, and others who thought they had recovered from their eating disorder have relapsed,” he said.

At the pandemic’s peak, eating disorder support services, like BEAT and SEED, saw a 300 per cent increase in people contacting them for help.

“People that we support have cited increased anxiety, isolation and lack of support as factors,” Quinn said.

“To ensure that every person with an eating disorder gets the help that they need quickly, it is essential that eating disorder services are equipped to cope with the increasing demand.

“Improved awareness and creative staffing solutions are essential if the NHS is to be able to help people as soon as they fall ill as well as treating those whose illness has progressed to a point of danger. It is also crucial that funding allocated to eating disorder services reaches the frontline.

For anyone struggling with the issues raised in this piece, eating disorder charity Beat’s helpline is available 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677.NCFED offers information, resources and counselling for those suffering from eating disorders, as well as their support networks. Visit eating-disorders.org.ukor call 0845 838 2040.