Eating disorder calls more than double as school starts

Calls about eating disorders to the organisation Tjejzonen have more than doubled in four years, SVT reported. For many people affected, the start of the school year can be especially difficult.

Tjejzonen received 1,488 calls about eating disorders in 2021, compared with 3,213 in 2025.

The transition from summer holidays to school brings changes that can create stress and pressure, said Moa Gardell, a support coordinator at Tjejzonen. Students may start at a new school or in a new class, receive a new timetable or resume leisure activities.

“It can mean a great loss of control, stress and pressure,” Gardell said.

Linnea Konnberg, who previously had anorexia and is now a volunteer at Tjejzonen, said comparing herself with classmates had triggered her illness.

“I could compare myself with people who were ten years younger when I was 15 to 20. It stayed with me for a long time. It becomes an extreme obsession with the body,” she said.

Gardell’s advice to relatives and others close to someone with an eating disorder is to listen and not try to solve the problem.

People under 18 can contact a health centre, youth clinic, student health service or child and adolescent psychiatry in their area. Adults can book an appointment at a health centre, psychiatric clinic or through occupational healthcare. People aged up to 20 to 25 can also contact a youth clinic.

More regions now have specialist eating disorder clinics. Some require a referral from student health services or a health centre, while others accept direct contact. The healthcare advice service 1177 can provide information about where to seek care.

Organisations including Frisk och Fri, the national association against eating disorders, and Shedo also offer support by telephone, chat or email. Shedo specialises in eating disorders and self-harm.