Screen time and social media use associated with eating disorder symptoms in young adolescents

As adolescents spend more time on screens and social media, a new study finds that among 9- to 14-year-olds, spending excessive amounts of time online is linked to a higher risk of eating disorder symptoms.

These symptoms include: worrying about gaining weight, linking self-esteem to weight, compensatory behaviors to avoid weight gain, binge eating, and experiencing stress due to binge eating.

The study is published in the diary Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity.

“Social media promotes constant comparisons with peers and exposure to unattainable body ideals,” said lead author Jason M. Nagata, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. “This can contribute to body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and unhealthy attempts to control weight, all of which increase the risk of developing eating disorders and other mental health problems.”

Problematic use of social media and mobile phones, characterized by dependency that interferes with daily life, are also associated with eating disorder symptoms. Overconsumption of social media may not only increase exposure to body ideals and comparisons, but may also reinforce impulsive behavior, increase binge eating, and contribute to addictive tendencies.

“Adolescents need to limit social media that encourage eating disorders and appearance comparisons. Parents can play an important role by developing Family Media Use Plans and having open conversations about problematic screen use and eating disorders,” Nagata says.

The study builds on existing knowledge about eating disorders in adolescents, which have one of the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric disorders. The study uses data from the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term study of brain development in the United States. The study collected data from 11,875 children between the ages of 9 and 14. Study participants provided information about their typical screen time habits and whether they had experienced symptoms of eating disorders.

“This study underscores the need for more research into the relationship between social media, problematic screen use, and mental well-being in early adolescence,” said co-author Kyle T. Ganson, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. “Future research should focus on identifying specific types of content that pose the greatest risk for youth developing eating disorder symptoms.”