Gallagher Lucy, Hyam Lucy, Allen Karina, Schmidt Ulrike
Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, https://ror.org/0220mzb33King's College London, London, UK.
Eating Disorders Outpatient Service, https://ror.org/015803449South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Eur Psychiatry. 2025 May 30;68(1):e67. doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.10038.
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the incidence and burden of eating disorders (EDs) globally. First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for EDs (FREED) is a nationally implemented early intervention service model for young people (16-25 years) with EDs in England. This study evaluates the longer-term impact of the pandemic on presentations and service provision in FREED.
Data from January 2019 to September 2024 were analyzed, including three services with pre-, pandemic, and post-pandemic data (Sample 1), and 62 services with post-pandemic data (Sample 2), 32 of which also contributed data during the pandemic. Linear mixed models examined referral numbers, duration of untreated ED, diagnostic mix, average body mass index for anorexia nervosa, and wait times.
In the three services with pre-, pandemic, and post-pandemic data, referrals remained significantly higher post-pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Across all services, post-pandemic referrals declined compared to the pandemic period. Consistently, anorexia nervosa diagnoses decreased, and the duration of untreated ED at presentation increased post-pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had lasting impacts on ED service provision in England. Sustained investment and national support are essential to ensure FREED services continue to meet the needs of young people with recent-onset EDs and to reduce the duration of untreated ED.
新冠疫情增加了全球饮食失调症（EDs）的发病率和负担。饮食失调症首次发作快速早期干预（FREED）是英国为16至25岁患有饮食失调症的年轻人全国推行的早期干预服务模式。本研究评估了疫情对FREED中就诊情况和服务提供的长期影响。
分析了2019年1月至2024年9月的数据，包括三项拥有疫情前、疫情期间和疫情后数据的服务（样本1），以及62项拥有疫情后数据的服务（样本2），其中32项在疫情期间也提供了数据。线性混合模型研究了转诊数量、未治疗的饮食失调症持续时间、诊断组合、神经性厌食症的平均体重指数以及等待时间。
在拥有疫情前、疫情期间和疫情后数据的三项服务中，疫情后的转诊数量仍显著高于疫情前。在所有服务中，与疫情期间相比，疫情后的转诊数量有所下降。一直以来，神经性厌食症的诊断数量减少，就诊时未治疗的饮食失调症持续时间在疫情后增加。
新冠疫情对英国饮食失调症服务的提供产生了持久影响。持续的投资和国家支持对于确保FREED服务继续满足近期发病的饮食失调症年轻人的需求以及缩短未治疗的饮食失调症持续时间至关重要。
