{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]],"date-time":"2026-02-10T05:56:21Z","timestamp":1770702981486,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,26]],"date-time":"2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742947200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global mental health, exacerbating the prevalence and severity of Eating Disorders (EDs). This study evaluates changes in the presentation and severity of EDs before and after the pandemic at the Regional Residential Center \u201cMariconda\u201d in Salerno.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>This retrospective cohort study analyzed records from 162 patients admitted to the center between December 2018 and December 2023. The onset of pandemic restrictions in mid-2020 divided the subjects into pre-COVID and COVID groups. Data collected included age, gender, education level, previous hospital admissions, admission diagnoses, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidity with other psychiatric conditions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Among the 162 subjects, 115 (71%) were admitted during the pandemic period. This group was significantly younger (mean age: 18.3 vs. 20.6\u202fyears, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> =\u202f0.009), had lower educational attainment (67% vs. 49% below secondary school diploma, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> =\u202f0.025), had a higher rate of prior hospitalizations (49% vs. 26%, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> =\u202f0.007), and demonstrated a higher prevalence of severe comorbidities with other mental illnesses (94% vs. 82%, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> =\u202f0.009) compared to the pre-COVID cohort. No significant differences were observed in gender distribution, initial diagnoses upon admission, or average length of hospital stay.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic intensified the presentation and severity of EDs, particularly among younger individuals with lower educational backgrounds. This underscores the urgent need for targeted, integrated treatment approaches for EDs in the context of global crises, including the development of strategies to address the increased severity of comorbid conditions and higher frequency of hospital readmissions observed in this study. These results highlight the necessity of reinforcing multidisciplinary care models that integrate medical, psychological, and social support to address the heightened complexity of post-pandemic ED cases and ensure more effective, long-term treatment outcomes. Future research is essential to explore the long-term effects of the pandemic on EDs, as well as to refine treatment strategies that better support those affected.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1522599","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,26]],"date-time":"2025-03-26T14:33:46Z","timestamp":1742999626000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Exploring the COVID-19 pandemic\u2019s influence on eating disorders: insights from an Italian residential center"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Francesco","family":"Monaco","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Annarita","family":"Vignapiano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Paolo","family":"Meneguzzo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Stefania","family":"Palermo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Annaluce","family":"Caputo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ilona","family":"Forte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonella","family":"Boccia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Longobardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marilena","family":"Di Pierro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ernesta","family":"Panarello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Benedetta","family":"Di Gruttola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Annarita","family":"Mainardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rossella","family":"Bonifacio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emanuela","family":"Ferrara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alessandra","family":"Marenna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Martina","family":"Piacente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Stefania","family":"Landi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mauro","family":"Cozzolino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Steardo Jr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giulio","family":"Corrivetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.)","year":"2013"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115082","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2023.115082","article-title":"The impact of COVID-19 on youth mental health: a mixed methods survey","volume":"321","author":"Bell","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e12935","DOI":"10.1111\/jora.12935","article-title":"The COVID-19 pandemic and adolescents' and young adults' experiences at school: a systematic narrative review","volume":"35","author":"Benner","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Res. Adolesc."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1360529","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2024.1360529","article-title":"Short- and long-term effects of COVID-19 pandemic on health care system for individuals with eating disorders","volume":"15","author":"Boltri","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Psych."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2293","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare10112293","article-title":"Telehealth and COVID-19 pandemic: an overview of the telehealth use, advantages, challenges, and opportunities during COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"10","author":"Bouabida","year":"2022","journal-title":"Healthcare"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23699","article-title":"A systematic review of sociodemographic reporting and representation in eating disorder psychotherapy treatment trials in the United States","volume":"55","author":"Burnette","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1855","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23368","article-title":"The impact of COVID-19 epidemic on eating disorders: a longitudinal observation of pre versus post psychopathological features in a sample of patients with eating disorders and a Group of Healthy Controls","volume":"53","author":"Castellini","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23704","article-title":"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorders: a systematic review","volume":"56","author":"Devoe","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"657","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2015.10.060","article-title":"Feasibility of a psychoeducational family intervention for people with bipolar I disorder and their relatives: results from an Italian real-world multicentre study","volume":"190","author":"Fiorillo","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1002\/wps.21018","article-title":"The world mental health report: transforming mental health for all","volume":"21","author":"Freeman","year":"2022","journal-title":"World Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"220","DOI":"10.3390\/bs12070220","article-title":"Adolescent resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: a review of the impact of the pandemic on developmental milestones","volume":"12","author":"Garagiola","year":"2022","journal-title":"Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.2147\/AHMT.s334977","article-title":"Use of telehealth in the Management of Adolescent Eating Disorders: patient perspectives and future directions suggested from the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"13","author":"Gorrell","year":"2022","journal-title":"Adolesc. Health Med. Ther."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1007\/s40519-023-01547-2","article-title":"COVID-19-related changes in eating disorder pathology, emotional and binge eating and need for care: a systematic review with frequentist and Bayesian meta-analyses","volume":"28","author":"G\u00fczel","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eat. Weight Disord."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1097\/MOP.0000000000001097","article-title":"The COVID-19 pandemic and its potential enduring impact on children","volume":"34","author":"Irwin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12120","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191912120","article-title":"Impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, substance use, and homelessness: qualitative interviews with behavioral health providers","volume":"19","author":"Jeffers","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-97416-9_41-1","article-title":"Neuroimaging and eating disorders","author":"Koithan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Springer eBooks"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23640","article-title":"A systematic scoping review of research on COVID-19 impacts on eating disorders: a critical appraisal of the evidence and recommendations for the field","volume":"55","author":"Linardon","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1186\/s12991-023-00478-7","article-title":"Nationwide consensus on the clinical management of treatment-resistant depression in Italy: a Delphi panel","volume":"22","author":"Maina","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ann. General Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12020573","article-title":"Increased general, eating, and body-related psychopathology in inpatients in a specialized eating disorders unit after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective comparison with the pre-pandemic period","volume":"12","author":"Martini","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Clin. Med."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.926709","article-title":"The impacts of COVID-19 on eating disorders and disordered eating: a mixed studies systematic review and implications","volume":"13","author":"McLean","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.1097\/YCO.0000000000000815","article-title":"Review of the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the occurrence of eating disorders","volume":"35","author":"Meier","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1007\/s00737-023-01398-x","article-title":"When time worsens framing: a longitudinal analysis of the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in women with an eating disorder and their healthy sisters","volume":"27","author":"Meneguzzo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Arch. Womens Mental Health"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7294","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12237294","article-title":"The psychological and medical landscape of anorexia nervosa over a decade: a retrospective study of possible physical and psychological shifts","volume":"12","author":"Meneguzzo","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Clin. Med."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1704","DOI":"10.3390\/covid4110119","article-title":"The COVID-19 pandemic increased the risk of eating disorders and emotional eating symptoms: a review of the current clinical evidence","volume":"4","author":"Mentzelou","year":"2024","journal-title":"COVID"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-020-09301-4","article-title":"The role of telehealth during COVID-19 outbreak: a systematic review based on current evidence","volume":"20","author":"Monaghesh","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12381","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182312381","article-title":"Eating disorders in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: what have we learned?","volume":"18","author":"Monteleone","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1007\/s11920-021-01294-0","article-title":"COVID-19 pandemic and eating disorders: what can we learn about psychopathology and treatment? A systematic review","volume":"23","author":"Monteleone","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr. Psychiatry Rep."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinthera.2020.11.006","article-title":"Current therapeutic approaches to anorexia nervosa: state of the art","volume":"43","author":"Muratore","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin. Ther."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1383080","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2024.1383080","article-title":"\u201cSome distance between us\u201d: a UK mixed methods study exploring experiences of remote Care for Eating Disorders during COVID-19","volume":"15","author":"Murphy-Morgan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Psych."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1157402","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2023.1157402","article-title":"Eating disorder symptoms among children and adolescents in Germany before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"14","author":"Napp","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"975936","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2022.975936","article-title":"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's mental health: a systematic review","volume":"13","author":"Ng","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.1186\/s40337-022-00671-1","article-title":"Models of Care for Eating Disorders: findings from a rapid review. Journal of","volume":"10","author":"Pehlivan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1689","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23574","article-title":"Positive outcomes from integrating telehealth into routine clinical practice for eating disorders during COVID-19","volume":"54","author":"Raykos","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1186\/s12961-023-01076-5","article-title":"Implementing and governing systems-based co-creation: the DISCOVER framework","volume":"22","author":"Smith","year":"2024","journal-title":"Health Res. Policy Syst."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1186\/s13052-023-01443-6","article-title":"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorders risk and symptoms: a retrospective study","volume":"49","author":"Straface","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ital. J. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"747","DOI":"10.1007\/s40519-020-00938-z","article-title":"Eating disorders and obesity (ED&O) in the COVID-19 storm","volume":"26","author":"Todisco","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eat. Weight Disord."},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"323","DOI":"10.1080\/13651501.2023.2221318","article-title":"Preparing for the next pandemic by understanding the impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on patients with eating disorders: observations from an inpatient setting","volume":"27","author":"Todisco","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Psychiatry Clin. Pract."},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1186\/s40337-021-00437-1","article-title":"COVID-19 and eating disorder and mental health concerns in patients with eating disorders","volume":"9","author":"Vitagliano","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23279","article-title":"Access to evidence-based care for eating disorders during the COVID-19 crisis","volume":"53","author":"Weissman","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Eat. Disord."},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1099","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(15)00356-9","article-title":"Anorexia nervosa: aetiology, assessment, and treatment","volume":"2","author":"Zipfel","year":"2015","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1522599\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,26]],"date-time":"2025-03-26T14:33:49Z","timestamp":1742999629000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1522599\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,26]]},"references-count":40,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1522599"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1522599","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,26]]},"article-number":"1522599"}}