The rate of eating disorder diagnoses among UK girls 13 to 16 years old during the first 2 years of the pandemic was 42% higher than expected, according to a study yesterday in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. The study also found that rates of self-harm increased 38%.
The study was based on health record from 9,184,712 patients aged 10 to 24 years (52.7% female and 47.3% male) from January 1, 2010, to March 31, 2022. Using models, the study authors predicted the expected rates of eating disorders and self-harm, had the pandemic not occurred, from March 2020 to March 2022.