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Early Smartphone Use Linked to Increased Eating Disorder Symptoms in Teens
A study found that children owning a smartphone at age 12 had a 49% higher risk of developing eating disorder symptoms by age 14. The research analyzed data from nearly 9,000 adolescents and identified associations with binge eating and compensatory behaviors.
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What happened
- 01Children with smartphones at age 12 showed a 49% higher risk of eating disorder symptoms by age 14.
- 02The study analyzed data from 8,957 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.
- 03Early smartphone owners had a 67% higher risk of binge eating and 50% higher risk of compensatory behaviors.
- 04Constant, private access to appearance-focused content and algorithms are cited as contributing factors.
- 05In Israel, children often receive smartphones much younger, raising earlier exposure concerns.
- 06Experts recommend parental controls, boundaries, and open communication to mitigate risks.
Experts, including Shirel Tirosh from Israel, noted that constant, private access to appearance-focused content and algorithms contribute to the risk. While not proving causation, the findings highlight the need for parental supervision and boundaries regarding early smartphone use.
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