Eating disorders and confinement

Audio 04:26

By: Laura Martel

What is the impact of confinement on people with Eating Disorders or ACD. And what troubles are we talking about? This is the subject of the Covid-19 meeting and its consequences. Lighting.

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To summarize, there are 3 types of TCA: anorexic disorders, marked in particular by a drastic control of food intake; bulimia, characterized by compulsive intake of large amounts of food followed by compensatory mechanisms to lose weight such as vomiting. Finally, when binge eating is not compensated for and leads to overweight or obesity, we talk about binge eating. In France, between 6 and 10% of the population suffer from TCA according to the FFAB, the French federation anorexia bulimia. Anguish, reduced outings, food stocks to manage. "  These people experience the same difficulties as all confined people, but at home, these difficulties may worsen their symptoms," explains Nathalie Godart, president of the FFAB. "

Alone facing the fridge, the scales… isolation can be particularly difficult. But the family camera too.

Sign of these difficulties, the national line Anorexie Boulimie Info Ecoute currently receives 20% more calls, says its coordinator Annick Brun. And while usually it is mainly relatives who telephone in search of information, today it is mainly patients in need of listening who call. Many say they feel trapped between an invivable interior and a particularly threatening exterior ... since TCA weakens the immune system and obesity is a risk factor for severe Covid-19 infection.

What can patients do to make the most of this trying period?

Difficult to give general advice… because each person experiences their disorder differently, but Professor Godart points out some tracks

The main thing is above all to speak with loved ones and of course professionals. If you are in France, even if the physical consultations are suspended, many doctors, dieticians, psychologists provide remote monitoring ... you will find on our site a link to a page wherethe FFAB has compiled useful contacts, as well as the timetables for the national listening line. If you are not in France, look anyway: there are also advice sheets and recommendations for applications recognized to help better manage his illness on a daily basis.

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• Coronavirus
• Confinement
• Health and Medicine
• France