The number of patients needing hospital treatment for eating disorders has soared, it has emerged.
The findings are sure to renew concerns about the effect “size zero” models and celebrities are having on the body image of many youngsters.
Official statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics, which records data on Health Service wards, show eating disorders have become so widespread they are putting serious pressure on the number of beds available to other patients.
Last year, 84,377 bed days were taken up by those suffering from eating disorders – the equivalent to about 232 beds a day – up from 51,878 in 2002.
Some 1,484 patients with anorexia were admitted to wards in 2006/7 compared with 1,338 the previous year, an increase of 11 per cent.
While the average age of sufferers was 24, under-15s made up a fifth of the total, 25 per cent more than 2005/6.
The findings also reveal that NHS hospital admissions for bulimia increased 9 per cent to 150.
Experts believe the true figures are likely to be much higher, however, because they do not include those patients who have not sought medical treatment.
