Surge in eating disorders and self-harm among teenage girls during pandemic: Lancet

London: A recent study published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health has uncovered a significant increase in eating disorder diagnoses and self-harm incidents among teenage girls since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Examining electronic health records of over 9 million patients aged 10 to 24 in the UK between 2010 and 2022, the study demonstrated that, beginning in March 2020, eating disorders among females aged 13-16 were 42 per cent higher than expected based on previous trends.

Similarly, for those aged 17-19, the rates were 32 per cent higher. The incidence of self-harm also saw a notable surge in the 13-16 age group, with a 38 percent increase compared to expectations.

Remarkably, the study found no evidence of increased self-harm rates among females in other age groups, and no rise in eating disorders or self-harm was observed among males.

Furthermore, the research revealed a widening socioeconomic gap following the pandemic.

Since March 2020, eating disorder diagnoses in females residing in the least deprived communities was 52 per cent higher than anticipated, while those in the most deprived areas experienced a 22 per cent increase.

Eating disorders and self-harm are not only significant health concerns in themselves but also indicators of underlying psychological distress. They share multiple risk factors and are often employed as coping mechanisms.

Lead author Pearl Mok from the University of Manchester stated, "The reasons for the increase in eating disorder diagnoses and self-harm episodes among teenage girls during the pandemic are likely to be complex and could be due to a mixture of issues such as social isolation, anxiety resulting from changing routines, disruption in education, unhealthy social media influences, and increased clinical awareness."

While the study encompassed a large sample, unreported instances of self-harm that did not receive medical attention were not captured, suggesting that the actual increase in self-harm incidents may be even higher than observed.

Co-investigator Shruti Garg, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, emphasized the urgent need for improved access to services and timely intervention, stating, " The staggering rise in eating disorder diagnoses and self-harm episodes among teenage females highlights an urgent need to improve early access to services and for timely intervention."

With inputs from agencies

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