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Pandemic fueling a sharp rise in eating disorders, Bay Area experts say
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Nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, another harrowing surge is seeing steep increases: eating disorders.
Over the past 10 months, eating disorders have increased dramatically nationwide, with the National Eating Disorders Association reporting a 78% increase to its helpline since March.
Locally, too, clinicians and programs are seeing unprecedented spikes. At UCSF, the number of those hospitalized has doubled since the pandemic began, and across the Bay Area, psychotherapists and other clinicians are struggling to keep up with a mounting need.
Eating disorders are illnesses that severely disrupt eating behaviors, and usually involve preoccupation with food and body weight. Without treatment, they can result in malnutrition, heart problems and other potentially fatal conditions.