Eating disorders: It was the first time in a while I’d seen my daughter’s frame... I got a shock when I saw her torso

One 11-year old girl's eating disorder started soon after the first lockdown began — she was the same weight she had been four years earlier. Lockdown had a devastating effect on people with eating disorders whose care urgently needs to be prioritised, experts tell Helen O'Callaghan  

Following Big Brother star Nikki Grahame’s death, the teen and adult online groups run by Bodywhys – the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland -  saw their highest attendance so far this year.

Nikki Grahame’s death in London earlier this month due to complications from anorexia spread ripples of shock and dismay among those suffering from eating disorders — and their families. The 38-year-old TV personality had battled an eating disorder since she was eight years old.

Following Nikki’s death, the teen and adult online groups run by Bodywhys — the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland — saw their highest attendance so far this year. People contacting Bodywhys services said her death had prompted them to seek help. “Others who contacted us expressed feeling afraid when they heard the news,” says a Bodywhys spokesperson.