Study finds eating disorders increased during pandemic among adolescents - Times of India
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TORONTO: Emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions for eating disorders increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents aged 10-17 years, as did ED visits among young adults and older adults, according to new research. The findings were published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Using ICES data, researchers compared observed and expected rates of ED visits and hospitalisations for eating disorders in adolescents (10-17 years), young adults (18-26 years), adults (27-40 years), and older adults (41-105 years) before and during the pandemic (Jan. 1, 2017 to Feb. 29, 2020). "A combination of risk factors - including isolation, increased time spent on social media, extended time spent with family, decreased access to care, and fear of infection - may contribute to an increased risk of the development or exacerbation of an eating disorder," write Dr. Alene Toulany, an adolescent medicine specialist at The Hospital for Sick Childr...