From Futurism · Frank Landymore · · 50s
Smartphones at 12 Linked to Eating Disorders
Kids with smartphones by 12 face higher eating disorder risks.
In brief
Kids with smartphones by 12 face higher eating disorder risks. Twelve-year-olds with smartphones are twice as likely to tie self-worth to weight and report eating disorder symptoms by 14. Originally reported by Futurism.
New Research Finds
A study in JAMA Network Open shows 12-year-olds with smartphones face higher eating disorder risks.
“A smartphone can put a world of appearance-focused content in a young person’s pocket”
Key Finding
70% of 12-year-olds surveyed owned smartphones, with 24% reporting eating disorder symptoms by 14.
Social Media Impact
Kids with smartphones at 12 were twice as likely to tie self-worth to weight.
“When you’re comparing yourself to influencers whose images are curated, edited and filtered”
Why It Matters
Early smartphone exposure links to body dissatisfaction and poor self-esteem.
What Happens Next
Delaying smartphone access by six months to a year could improve mental health.
The key point
Twelve-year-olds with smartphones are twice as likely to tie self-worth to weight and report eating disorder symptoms by 14.
