New guidelines aim to combat alarming rise in eating disorders post COVID-19

So you can imagine the devastating impact COVID [has had] on folks with EDs. There has been increased onset of illness as well as relapses during the pandemic, even in patients who were doing pretty well before the pandemic.”Dr. Tantillo also commented that social isolation has created opportunities for young adults to connect with unhelpful social media sources, adding to the risk of EDs. She highlighted the sharp rise in the U.S.: “The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helpline has experienced a 107% increase in contacts since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Alongside these pressures has been the difficulty of accessing treatment during the pandemic, as Tom Quinn noted, “The dramatic increase in hospitalization shows that people are not getting treatment quickly enough, with patients admitted to hospital having become too unwell to be treated in community care settings.”“If we are to stop the eating disorders epidemic in its tracks, it’s vital that this guidance reaches healthcare professionals urgently and that government backs them with the necessary resources to implement them.”— Dr. NichollsClinicians and charities in the U.K. and U.S. have welcomed the new guidelines.