Eating disorders abound among teens but here are some ways to help

More and more young people are struggling with mental health problems, including eating disorders. A medic explains what causes them, whether they are curable and how family and friends can help. Berlin (dpa) – Food. We can't live without it, and eating is one of life's greatest pleasures. Yet for many people, preoccupied with their weight and body shape, it's a source of emotional stress that can seriously damage their physical and mental health. Long-term observational studies in various countries show a clear increase in eating disorders, in particular anorexia nervosa, since the Covid-19 pandemic, says Germany's Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG). They typically emerge in adolescence and young adulthood, mostly among girls, says the World Health Organization. What's behind the i