Smartphone use at age 12 linked to increased eating disorder risks

A study published in JAMA Network Open has found a significant link between the age at which adolescents acquire smartphones and the later development of eating disorder symptoms. Analyzing data from nearly 9,000 adolescents in the United States through the ABCD Study, researchers observed that children who owned a personal smartphone at age 12 were at a higher risk of reporting disordered eating symptoms by age 14.

Specifically, those with smartphones at age 12 showed a 67% higher risk of binge-eating symptoms and a 50% higher risk of engaging in inappropriate compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain. The study also noted that these adolescents were twice as likely to tie their self-worth to their body weight. Dr. Jason Nagata, a pediatrician at the University of California, San Francisco, noted that smartphones provide constant access to appearance-focused content, which can influence body image during sensitive developmental years.

While the research demonstrates a strong association, investigators clarified that it does not prove smartphones are the direct cause of these disorders. Other factors, such as social media exposure and mental health, remain areas for further study. Separately, in South Korea, the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education has launched a ‘Phone Free 100-Day Miracle’ campaign, encouraging students to voluntarily regulate their smartphone use through self-set goals and alternative activities like reading and sports.