Health
Gender dysphoria and eating disorders have skyrocketed since pandemic, report reveals: ‘Ripple effects’
Mental health diagnoses in children have skyrocketed since the COVID pandemic — led by gender dysphoria and eating disorders, according to a new report.
LexisNexis Risk Solutions analyzed medical claims data submitted between 2019 and 2023 for patients under age 18.
Overall, mental health claims rose 83% among young people in that time frame.
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By comparison, gender identity-related diagnoses spiked 133% and eating disorders rose 108%.
Phobic disorders also increased by 77%, as did claims for developmental disorders.
Mental health diagnoses in children have skyrocketed since the pandemic — led by gender dysphoria and eating disorders, according to a new report. (iStock)
“Americans are in the midst of a mental health crisis, which lingered well before and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the researchers wrote in the report.
“The initial trauma and continued ripple effects from the pandemic are still negatively impacting Americans’ mental health, particularly teens and young adults.”
Why the spike in gender dysphoria?
Multiple factors have led to the sharp uptick in gender dysphoria, according to Abbey Jo Schrage, a licensed psychotherapist who runs her own practice in Idaho and provides virtual mental health services.
“The first is the simple fact of awareness of gender identity issues,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Youth have newfound, and constant, access to information and language regarding issues such as gender identity via countless apps and websites.”
She added, “Another factor is the increasing cultural and social acceptance of expressions regarding gender identity.”
One licensed clinical social worker attributes the spike in cases to three factors: awareness, normalization and increased acceptance. (iStock)
Jonathan Levine, a licensed clinical social worker who works with Equip in Pennsylvania, attributes the spike in cases to three factors: awareness, normalization and increased acceptance.
“As it has become more normal to explore gender as a construct in society, people have become more comfortable exploring their own gender as individuals,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The initial trauma and continued ripple effects from the pandemic are still negatively impacting Americans’ mental health, particularly teens and young adults.”
“Kids and adolescents naturally have a curiosity about themselves, and so much of childhood is exploring who you are and your values … It’s natural for young adults to be curious about their own identity, and it’s safer for the youth to explore their own than it has been in the past.”
Parents and communities can support children by listening to them without judgment or arguing, according to Schrage.
A supportive family can be life-saving for young people with gender dysphoria, an expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
They should also “appropriately filter content” for their children’s age level, she added.
“What a child is exposed to must be developmentally appropriate and not usher in premature confusion,” Schrage warned.
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Adam Mariano, a Philadelphia-based president and general manager of health care for LexisNexis Risk Solutions, suggests providing “safe spaces” for youth to engage, ask questions and share information.
“Providing clear, age-appropriate information and context will ensure that children are not isolated and made to feel fearful,” he told Fox News Digital.
Mental health claims among children rose 83% between 2019 and 2023. (iStock)
A supportive family can be life-saving for youth with gender dysphoria, according to Levine.
“A strong and affirming family support system has been demonstrated to decrease suicidality in TGE youth by up to 82% and suicide attempts from 57% to 4%,” he said.
Why the spike in eating disorders?
Exposure to “idealized and altered bodies” alongside methods of achieving these unrealistic physical features is at an all-time high, Schrage noted.
“Many of my youth patients report spending between four and six hours per day of scrolling and comparing themselves to others each day,” she told Fox News Digital.
There was a sharp increase in eating disorders during the pandemic, according to Levine.
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“While there is no one reason why people develop an eating disorder, a common theme for many is a desire to feel control,” he said.
“The pandemic made so many people feel alone, isolated and unable to control their surroundings, all of which led to a ton of mental health woes, eating disorders included.”
Social media also plays a role in normalizing one type of body for all people, Levine noted.
Social media plays a role in normalizing one type of body for all people, according to mental health experts. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)
“The constant onslaught of messaging around beauty standards, body ideals, diet culture and a chaotic world are all factors that contribute to an increase in eating disorders among youth.”
To help young people who are struggling with eating disorders, Schrage said parents and the community should set appropriate limits on time and exposure to unrealistic images and media.
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“Parents should also prioritize meals together, model healthy eating behaviors and verbalize their own sense of self,” she advised.
“Furthermore, giving their children feedback on internal qualities — such as their character and personality — more than outward physical and performance markers helps them develop a balanced, realistic sense of self.”
Parents and communities can support children by listening to them without judgment or arguing, according to one expert. (iStock)
Parents and family members should also watch out for warning signs, Levine said, such as increased exercise, dieting, avoidance of certain food groups and an increased focus on body image.
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“Normalize an ‘all foods fit’ dietary lifestyle, where every food is safe to eat, and there are no such things as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods,” he advised.
“Focusing on supporting youth in creating an expansive life that is bigger than what their body looks like is important.”
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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Yoga is known to boost relaxation, strength and flexibility – and now a new study has found the practice could improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances after cancer treatment.
The findings were presented last week at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.
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The study was conducted across multiple U.S. community cancer care sites, including 410 adult cancer survivors averaging 54 years of age. Around 75% were breast cancer survivors, and none of them had practiced yoga regularly within the prior three months.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances in cancer survivors. (iStock)
The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Half of them received only standard survivorship care without the yoga, while the other half received standard care and were also enrolled in the Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) program.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training.
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Based on questionnaires completed by the patients, the survivors in the yoga group experienced “moderate-to-large” reductions in overall mood disturbance, “small-to-medium” reductions in anxiety and “medium-to-large” reductions in fatigue, the study found.
The improvements in mood and fatigue appeared to be linked to yoga’s beneficial effect on sleep quality, according to the researchers.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training. (iStock)
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug,” lead investigator Yuri Choi, PhD, of the Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, in Rochester, New York, told Fox News Digital.
The study did not reveal any major safety concerns or serious adverse events related to the yoga practice.
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug.”
The study did have some limitations, chiefly that the findings are preliminary and have not yet been peer-reviewed for a medical publication.
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“The sample in our clinical trial was relatively homogeneous, with most participants being women (96%), breast cancer patients (75%), Caucasian (93%), and having some college or higher education (82%),” noted Choi.
“We are adapting our intervention to reach all cancer patients and survivors, including the creation of a mobile app to reach people in rural communities.”
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The research also excluded patients with metastatic cancer (whose disease had spread to other parts of the body).
The total study was only four weeks, so more research is needed to determine long-term benefits.
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted. (iStock)
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted.
Some yoga studios may use different names for Gentle Hatha and Restorative yoga, such as Foundations Yoga or Healing Yoga, Choi noted.
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“Survivors should also look for certified yoga instructors who have experience working with cancer patients/survivors or individuals with other challenging health conditions,” the researcher advised. “They should not be afraid to ask their oncology team for referrals to qualified instructors in their community.”
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Choi also noted that the research did not reveal whether other types of yoga, such as heated-room or rigorous-flow yoga, are safe or beneficial for cancer survivors.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
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