Young people with eating disorders on the rise in England

New analysis of NHS data by the Children's Commissioner has found that children starting treatment for eating disorders has more than doubled since 2016-2017, with young people facing increasingly long waiting times.

Dr Amy Wicksteed, chair of the British Psychological Society's Division of Clinical Psychology's Faculty for Eating Disorders, said:

"These deeply worrying figures are sadly unsurprising for those of us working on the frontline of eating disorder services.

There has been a significant increase in the demand for services for children and young people, and despite some investment, the need has far exceeded capacity across the country. This increase in demand is evident across the system, with increasing numbers also now transitioning across into adult services.

"Too many children and young people with eating disorders struggle to get the help they need, when and where they need it. It's vital that eating disorder services receive sufficient funding and resources to provide timely, appropriate, and potentially life-saving care.

"We must make sure there are high quality eating disorder services which include skilled early intervention provision to reduce the numbers needing more intensive forms of care. Where children and young people need urgent hospital care, it's essential that acute paediatric care is equipped and resourced to support them."