Isolation and social media among factors behind surge in eating disorders during pandemic, charities warn
Isobel Warner
Friday, January 14, 2022
Increased time spent on social media, isolation from friends, and disrupted school routines are among factors behind a surge in young people being treated for eating disorders during the pandemic, experts have warned.
The number of people supported by charity Beat, which works with people with eating disorders, has increased by 150 per cent since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, figures show.
The charity has cited the specific problems caused by the health crisis as factors behind the rise in young people needing support for eating disorders.
These difficulties include disrupted school routines, health concerns about family members, restricted social interaction, lack of contact with friends and increased social media use during three national lockdowns.
“The pandemic has had a huge impact on young women with or vulnerable to eating disorders,” said Martha Williams, Beat’s clinical advisor coordinator.
“At Beat we have been supporting 150 per cent more people between 2020 and 2021 in comparison to before Covid-19.
“Many of the young people we support have talked about being on social media more during lockdowns, when they had no other way to keep in touch with friends and family.
“Whilst being on social media would not cause an eating disorder, detailed online content about food and exercise such as ‘what I eat in a day’ videos can encourage people who are currently unwell to engage in eating disorder behaviours,” she said.
Dr Linda Papadopoulos, psychologist and ambassador for internet safety non-profit organisation Internet Matters said: “The online world is a huge part of many young people’s lives, where taking a photo and posting it online is a normal part of their day.
“However, trying to live up to the constant stream of ‘perfect’ bodies online can have a profound impact on the mental health of some young people.”
Papadopoulos added that children “need to see their bodies more than just as aesthetic objects to be consumed but rather as functional, finding value in what they can do rather than merely how they look.”
If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk
