October 26th 2023
Contacts to eating disorder charity rise tenfold in four years
The number of contacts concerning eating disorders among young people aged 17 and under in Scotland has increased tenfold in the last four years, according to figures from charity Beat.
Between April 2019 and March 2020, Beat received just 17 contacts from or about children and young people in Scotland, but this rose to 195 contacts between April 2022 and March 2023.
During the same time period, Beat provided more than 22 times the number of support sessions about 13-14 year olds in Scotland, and over 11 times the number of support sessions about 13-17 year olds. The number of contacts about 4-12 year olds increased sevenfold.
To help young people in Scotland with eating disorders, Beat provides safe spaces for people to share their concerns via online support groups, web chats and helpline calls. The charity also supports families who are caring for a loved one with an eating disorder.
The Scottish government funds all of Beat’s support services in Scotland to help those affected by eating disorders.
Kirsty Pavey, Beat’s national lead for Scotland, said: ‘It’s extremely worrying that more children and young people in Scotland have been needing support for an eating disorder. The pandemic was an awfully stressful time, with many young people experiencing unexpected changes in routine, worrying about the health of loved ones and being isolated away from friends.
‘While NHS staff are doing all they can to help every patient, demand for eating disorder support remains high, and at Beat we’re continuing to support people of all ages across the country. If anybody is worried about a loved one or a student, please reach out to us and to their GP or family as soon as possible, as the sooner somebody accesses help, the better their chances of making a full recovery.’
Dr Kandarp Joshi, vice-chair of the CAMHS faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, said: ‘Working on the frontline, we noticed a big surge in young people presenting with serious eating disorders at the start of the pandemic, and the trend now seems to be returning to pre-pandemic levels. We must raise awareness and signpost young people and carers in the right direction at an early stage.
‘We’re calling on the Scottish government to deliver on its promise to dedicate one percent of what is spent on health to support our children and young people through CAMHS [children and adolescent mental health services] by 2026, as well as one tenth of total health budget to be spent on mental health.’
Images: Annie Spratt and Taylor Grote
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