Pandemic creates 'perfect storm' for people with eating disorders

There was a 111% increase in demand for Bodywhys' online support group between March and last December, compared with the same period in 2019

The pandemic has created a "perfect storm" for people affected by eating disorders with relapses, newly diagnosed cases and intensified problems for those already living with the condition.

Research from Bodywhys, the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland, and the School of Sociology at University College Dublin, indicates that the pandemic has impacted across three key areas — the experience of those with an eating disorder, the experience of service provision, and the impact on the family situation.