Increase in hospital admissions among younger females due to eating disorders
In the past two decades, Germany has witnessed a concerning increase in the number of girls and women seeking treatment for eating disorders in hospitals. The number of cases has more than doubled, with 6,000 girls and young women treated in 2023, compared to 3,000 in 2003.
This trend mirrors broader global concerns about mental health and eating behaviors. Experts attribute this rise to various interconnected causes, including sociocultural pressures, psychological factors, biological influences, and greater awareness and diagnosis.
Sociocultural pressures, such as the heightened emphasis on thinness and ideal body image in media and social networks, increase vulnerability to disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Psychological factors, including stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma, also contribute to eating disorder development as dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Biological influences, such as genetic predispositions and hormonal changes during adolescence, also affect susceptibility. Greater awareness and reduced stigma have likely increased reported cases.
In Germany, longitudinal health studies and surveys by organisations such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Essstörungen (German Society for Eating Disorders) and health ministries report rising hospital admissions and outpatient treatment cases related to these disorders over the past two decades. Treatment numbers for anorexia and bulimia have escalated, especially among adolescent and young adult females, reflecting shifts in diagnostic awareness and possibly incidence rates.
Current statistics from recent German health reports indicate that eating disorders affect approximately 2-4% of women in Germany, with higher rates in adolescents. Hospitalizations related to eating disorders have increased by around 20-30% since the early 2000s. Bulimia and binge-eating disorder prevalence are rising alongside anorexia.
The COVID-19 pandemic has acted as an accelerator in the increase of eating disorder cases, according to Stephan Bender, director of the Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy of Children and Adolescents at the University of Cologne. Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann, senior professor at the University of Aachen, suspects that the restrictions on social contacts during the pandemic have contributed to the increase in eating disorders among children.
In 2023, the share of all patients with eating disorders who are girls and young women rose to 49.3%. Anorexia nervosa was the most frequently diagnosed eating disorder, accounting for over three-quarters of cases. The average hospital stay was 7.2 days, while the average duration of treatment was 53.2 days, the highest value since 2003.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of early detection and outpatient treatment in Germany, according to Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann. This can result in patients being admitted to hospitals already severely ill. In 2023, 78 people died from an eating disorder, with women particularly affected, and their share of hospital treatments increasing from 87.6% to 93.3% over the 20-year period.
Despite these concerning statistics, the number of hospital treatments for eating disorders in 2023 was less than the 12,600 cases in 2003, with a total of around 12,100 patients treated in hospitals. The incidence of anorexia has increased the most among young patients aged between 10 and 14.
In conclusion, the increase in eating disorders among girls and women in Germany over the past 20 years stems from complex social, psychological, and biological causes. Further research and improved healthcare policies are needed to address this growing issue and improve early detection, treatment, and support for those affected by eating disorders.
- To improve early detection and treatment of eating disorders, it may be beneficial to explore the role of science in understanding the psychological, social, and biological factors that contribute to these disorders, particularly in light of rising cases among young girls.
- With the increase in hospitalizations for eating disorders, it is crucial to prioritize mental health and wellness in health-and-wellness initiatives, ensuring adequate resources for women's health and mental-health services, including those focusing on eating disorders.
- As the prevalence of eating disorders escalates among young females, particularly due to sociocultural pressures and increased awareness, there is a pressing need to investigate alternative treatment options, such as the potential benefits of CBD for managing symptoms associated with these conditions.
