File photo dated 03/10/14 of a hospital ward, as leading nurses warned that plans to transform the NHS in England could lead to cuts in hospital beds and community services. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday February 14, 2017. The Royal College HOSPITAL admissions for children with eating disorders have risen by almost a fifth in two years and by almost a third among all age groups, new figures show. NHS Digital data for England obtained by the PA news agency shows a rise in admissions across most parts of the country, with the Covid-19 pandemic also having an effect on inpatient treatment.
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Hospital admissions for children with eating disorders rise by almost a fifth
Expert says Government and the NHS must take immediate action to tackle this crisis
29 December 2020 • 7:11am
Hospital admissions for children with eating disorders have risen by almost a fifth in two years and by almost a third among all age groups, new figures show.
NHS Digital data for England shows a rise in admissions across most parts of the country, with the Covid-19 pandemic also having an effect on inpatient treatment.
The data shows there were 21,794 admissions for eating disorders among all age groups in 2019/20, up 13 per cent from the 19,244 in 2018/19 and up 32 per cent from 16,547 in 2017/18.
Eating disorders in children have soared during the pandemic and experts are now warning parents to be vigilant.
Isolation from friends, exam cancellations and loss of extracurricular activities caused stress and encouraged them to focus on eating and exercise, suggested the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Increased use of social media while staying at home can also give children unrealistic ideas of how their body should look, say experts.
Eating disorders in children have soared during the pandemic and experts are now warning parents to be vigilant (file image)
This is combined with anxiety about family money troubles, catching the virus and loved ones dying from it.