According to figures released today, the number of hospital admissions across the UK for teens with eating disorders has almost doubled over the last three years.
The National Health Service (NHS) revealed that a staggering 1,815 young people aged between 13 and 19 were admitted to hospital in 2013 – 2014, representing a massive jump of 89% from the figure of 959 recorded back in 2010 – 2011.
Worryingly, the Royal College of Psychiatrists blamed the increase chiefly on body image pressures, which they believe have been perpetuated by the rise of online photo-blogging.
Commenting on the “unprecedented” rise in the number of young people being treated for eating disorders, College spokesperson Dr Carolyn Nahman singled out social media for its negative influence.
“We’re getting increasingly concerned about the pressure of social media. Literally with one click of a button, very vulnerable young people are able to access 10,000 images of ‘perfect looking’ people, which places them under a lot of pressure,” said Dr Nahman.
The College emphasised that education is key to fighting the issues of eating disorders as well as negative body image.
