Major spike in number of people with eating disorders in Ireland in recent years

The figures were shared by Junior Health Minister Mary Butler as she announced an increase in the number of specialist eating disorder teams nationwide

The number of people suffering from eating disorders in Ireland has soared from 60 to 500 in the last few years.

The figures were revealed by Junior Health Minister Mary Butler as she announced an increase in the number of specialist eating disorder teams nationwide from 12 to 14 at a cost of €2.2 million each.

More than 80 eating disorder clinicians and 10 consultant psychiatrists have been hired for adults and children.

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One of the new teams will cover North Tipperary, Limerick and Clare.

The Minister said: "Since the model of care was launched in 2018 we have learned that 90 per cent of those with eating disorders can be treated very well in the community.

"We saw a huge spike in the number of referrals for eating disorders during Covid, especially in girls 15 or 16 with anorexia.

"We are undertaking a review of the model of care because when it was devised in 2018 with data from 2016 and 2017, it was estimated there might be 60 people a year.

"We are now reaching more than 500 people a year who have an eating disorder which is a serious mental health illness."

The Minister was responding to a series of questions on the serious issue in the Dail.

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