WARNING: This article contains sensitive details A Montreal-based virtual health-care provider says it is seeing a rise in consultations for eating disorders during the summer. Dialogue Health Technologies Inc. reports a 57 per cent jump in eating disorder and nutrition counselling consultations in Quebec. “It’s a problem that is seen most often in the summer,” said Dr. Marc Robin, the company’s medical director. Changes in routines, less school-based support, and pressure to have a “beach body” explain the rise. “You’re walking around in lighter clothes, and you might feel less comfortable,” said Dr. Robin. The increase is even steeper among young people, with consultations up 73 per cent for those aged 17 to 25. Lise-Andrée Massé, head of education and prevention at Anorexie et boulimie Québec (ANEB), says nearly 300,000 people in the province live with an eating disorder. “We know that the first sign can start at four years old,” she said. Massé adds the pressure of eating disorders differs by gender. Men often face pressure to look muscular, while women feel pressure to be thin, a dynamic she says is amplified on social media. Last summer, TikTok banned the hashtag #SkinnyTok because it promoted eating disorder behaviours. But Massé says that does not mean the issue has disappeared. “They reinvent themselves,” she said. “Certainly, social media plays a role in how it projects the image of a perfect summer body,” added Dr. Robin. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, here are some available resources:
