FRANKFURT, Aug 11 (Bernama-dpa) — The number of girls and young women receiving hospital treatment for eating disorders in Germany has doubled over the past 20 years, rising from 3,000 cases in 2003 to 6,000 in 2023, according to government data released on Monday, German news agency (dpa) reported.
Overall, the total number of hospital treatments for eating disorders among all individuals has remained relatively stable, with around 12,100 cases in 2023 compared to 12,600 in 2003.
But girls and young women aged 10 to 17 now make up nearly half (49.3 per cent) of all eating disorder patients, up from about a quarter two decades ago.
Anorexia nervosa was the most frequently diagnosed condition in 2023, accounting for just over three-quarters of all cases.
Bulimia nervosa affected around 11 per cent of patients. The vast majority of those treated are female, with women making up 93.3 per cent of hospital cases last year, up from 87.6 per cent two decades earlier.
The average length of inpatient treatment for eating disorders increased for both men and women, reaching 53.2 days in 2023, which is the highest since 2003.
By comparison, the average hospital stay for all conditions in 2023 was 7.2 days.
The number of deaths attributed to eating disorders fluctuates yearly.
In 2023, 78 people died in Germany due to complications related to eating disorders. The highest number in the past 20 years was recorded in 2008, with 100 deaths.
— BERNAMA-dpa