annabel rackham reports. 16 and 32% higher in those aged 17 to 19 compared to what had been predicted by experts. researchers from the universities of manchester, exeter and keele looked at anonymous gp health records from over 9 million uk patients. they focused on those from the ages of 10—24 and looked at records held between 2010 and 2023. so i got referred to an eating disorders clinic. annabelle is 19 and developed bulimia during the pandemic, with her family struggling to get her the help she needed. eating was something you could control and it was easy to do because you didn't have to do anything, you didn't have to go to school, you didn't have to go to work or any of that stuff, so no—one knew that you weren't eating. you weren't, like, passing out in public. it was easy to hide. i used to be a very happy athlete... sophie rowland also found herself fixated on her weight when she no longer had school as something to focus on. food is fuel, it literally is. it brings every little bit of life back to