We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Why we must work to better understand eating disorders As the pandemic sparks a rise in eating disorders, dietitian Jane Clarke dispels the myths Danny Martindale Today would have been Nikki Grahame's 39th birthday. The Big Brother star and mental-health campaigner, who tragically lost her life to a fiercely entrenched eating disorder earlier this month, may be one of the most-known adult names to have suffered from anorexia nervosa, but she was in no way alone in her struggle. While eating disorders including anorexia are commonly considered a teenage issue, rates are currently rising among adults too, with the mental-health challenges brought on by the pandemic sparking relapses and new cases. In an interview shortly before Grahame's death, her mother said that lockdown had "floored" her daughter.