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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Rebecca Thomas

Patients ‘not thin enough’ for help as NHS battles eating disorder crisis

Getty/The Independent

Desperately ill people with eating disorders are being refused NHS treatment for “not being thin enough”, as new figures reveal the health service is in the grips of a growing eating disorder crisis.

Shocking figures obtained by The Independent show at least 5,385 patients – the overwhelming majority, 3,896, of whom are children – were admitted to general wards for conditions such as anorexia and bulimia in 2021-22, more than double the number in 2017-18.

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