A new study of nearly 9,000 adolescents in the US found that children who owned a smartphone at age 12 were 36% more likely to report any eating disorder symptom. At the same age, smartphone users reported a 61% higher prevalence of binge-eating symptoms compared with those who did not own a device. Nearly 70% of the 12-year-olds who participated in the study owned a smartphone.
The study was published in JAMA Network Open and conducted by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), led by pediatrician Jason Nagata. The researchers argue that delaying children's access to smartphones is worth considering, given the association with disordered eating habits. They stress, however, that the findings do not prove that smartphones cause the symptoms.
By age 14, nearly a quarter of the children who had owned a smartphone since age 12 reported at least one eating disorder symptom. Compared with children without a smartphone at 12, those who owned a device were 103% more likely to link their self-worth to their weight. They also faced a 49% higher risk of reporting any eating disorder symptom by age 14.
The authors explain that early adolescence is a period when self-regulation is still developing and sensitivity to social judgment is heightened, while also coinciding with puberty and an increased risk of eating disorders. Owning a personal smartphone may increase unsupervised and personalized exposure to digital environments during this sensitive developmental period.
Although major social media platforms impose a minimum age of 13, the researchers note that this limit can easily be bypassed. Social media use exposes users to greater peer pressure, while content showing idealized bodies is associated with an increased risk of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Influencers and "fitspiration" content may heighten young people's dissatisfaction with their bodies and encourage unhealthy eating habits. Another study has shown that every additional hour of total screen time and social media use is associated with higher odds of behaviors aimed at preventing weight gain and binge-eating symptoms.
The analysis was based on self-reported symptoms rather than clinical diagnoses. An adolescent reporting a symptom does not necessarily mean they have an eating disorder, which the DSM-5 defines as a persistent disturbance in food intake or related behavior that significantly harms physical health or psychosocial functioning. Among young people, eating disorders affect approximately 5.5% to 18% of young women and up to 2.4% of young men by early adulthood, with recent increases mainly among girls aged 15 to 19.
The researchers note that smartphone and social media use is not necessarily harmful. Some research suggests it may even offer mental health benefits, such as lower levels of depression among adolescents who exchange more messages. How adolescents use digital devices may matter more than the time they spend on them.
The authors recommend that clinicians consider smartphone ownership and social media use when assessing the risk of eating disorders. The digital world is not going away any time soon, so it is important to know at what age it is safe to give a child a smartphone and how to manage its use. Studies like this bring us closer to understanding the risks behind smartphone use so that we can better protect the next generation.
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