Calls for help on eating disorders shoot up by a third during pandemic year

Calls to a hotline for people suffering from eating disorders shot up by a third last year, and experts say they are dealing with more severe and younger cases than they did before the pandemic hit.

There was also an increase in referrals for treatment for children aged between 11 and 14, according to Darleen Zerafa, director of Dar Kenn Għal Saħħtek, a centre for the treatment of eating disorders.

The organisation’s hotline received 1,910 calls last year, up from 1,435 the previous year.

“Most of the calls were from parents worried about the eating behaviour of their children. They were asking for information or how to get more help,” Zerafa said.

“During the pandemic we also saw a lot more severe cases needing immediate action and at the same time there was an increase in referrals for those aged 11 to 14,” she said.

The number of people asking for help for eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia have been on the rise since 2015. However, the average year-on-year increase is around eight per cent, making the sharp 33 per cent rise more concerning.

During the pandemic we saw a lot more severe cases

Zerafa put the general increase down to heightened anxiety caused by the pandemic. Restrictions kept teenagers inside and constantly around food, while exercise was limited.

“Once the anxiety went up, and there was a loss of control due to the disruption of routine, those afflicted with eating disorders compensated by asserting more control over eating habits,” Zerafa said.

Binge eaters were particularly affected.

'Increased use of social media played a role'

Regarding the rise in referrals in the 11 to 14 age group, she said the increased use of social media during the pandemic played a role, however, studies are ongoing into the trend.

Social media continuously sold an idea of physical perfection and with younger children spending most of their time online, they were confronted with this more, she said.

While referrals to the centre rose only marginally, she said this was not necessarily an accurate indicator of the problem.

Many would have held back from seeking treatment for their children due to the restrictions or for fear of contamination, she explained.

Acute cases of eating disorders can have dire consequences if not treated, disrupting normal development, Zerafa warned.

“We’re talking about patients that have a Body Mass Index of 12 or 13. With younger patients this is especially dangerous because once they stop eating they stop growing.”

“A boy of 16 can look like an eight-year-old. These more severe cases may require in-house treatment from a couple of months to over a year,” she said.