A systematic review of 14 studies from seven countries, including Canada, provides evidence that many young people with eating disorders experience lengthy waits for treatment. Among children aged 12 and younger, the average time from diagnosis to treatment was 9.8 months. For teens and adults combined, the comparable figure was 34.7 months. Both figures are far too high, particularly for young people.

Increased treatment needs during the pandemic have added to the challenges. A study of six Canadian pediatric hospitals found that treatment admissions for eating disorders rose sharply during the pandemic. Hospitalizations for new patients increased from 7.5 cases per month in the previous five years to 20.0 cases per month during the first pandemic wave. Similarly, a study measuring hospital use for eating disorders for all children and adolescents in Ontario found an increase immediately after the pandemic started, with levels remaining well above typical during the ensuing 10 months — including a 66% increased risk in emergency room visits for eating disorders and a 37% increased risk in being hospitalized for these conditions.

For more information, see Vol. 18, No. 1 of the Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly.