Eating Disorders In Children Statistics: Research, Trends, And Treatments
Eating disorders, or behavioral conditions involving disordered eating and disturbances in thoughts, behaviors, and emotions around food, may affect individuals of any age. According to a 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis, around 22% of adolescents and children worldwide show signs of disordered eating behaviors. Eating disorders in children statistics like this can underscore the importance of recognizing these disorders and the trends surrounding their development. While data can vary, some studies indicate that eating disorder trends for children have changed significantly in recent years. If your child shows signs of an eating disorder, it can be crucial to seek treatment for them, and parents often benefit from attending therapy as well.
Have rates of eating disorders in children increased?
Other eating disorder statistics
While they may not be focused on children or adolescents specifically, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) provides several additional statistics on eating disorders.
- 28.8 million Americans, or 9% of the United States population, may experience an eating disorder in their lifetime.
- The overall lifetime prevalence of eating disorders is estimated to be 4.07% among males and 8.60% among females.
- Worldwide, eating disorders contribute to the loss of approximately 3.3 million healthy life years annually.
- Behind opiate addiction, eating disorders are reported to have the second highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness.
- It’s estimated that one person dies every 52 minutes as a direct result of an eating disorder.
Due to the severe consequences that these disorders can have, it can be important for parents and guardians to understand the symptoms of eating disorders in children and adolescents.
How are eating disorders diagnosed?
Diagnosing an eating disorder in adolescents and children typically requires an evaluation by a medical professional. This process may include a combination of physical exams, psychological assessments, and detailed discussions.
While these discussions may vary, many will pertain to the child’s eating habits, as well as their behaviors and thoughts related to food. If a healthcare professional determines that a child meets the criteria for an eating disorder, they may provide a diagnosis.
It can be beneficial for parents to understand the symptoms of these disorders, as this may help them recognize when their child could benefit from professional evaluation and support.
How to recognize eating disorder symptoms in adolescents
While children and adolescents may display many of the same symptoms of eating disorders as adults, the symptoms they experience can vary by disorder. Although there are a variety of eating disorders, binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa tend to be the most common.
Binge eating disorder symptoms
Binge eating disorder (BED) usually involves consuming large quantities of food in a short time, such as one to two hours. Other symptoms of binge eating disorder can include the following:
- Sensing that one cannot stop eating
- Eating even when one does not feel hungry
- Experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety
- Continuing to eat even if one is full or uncomfortable
- Hiding eating habits
Anorexia nervosa symptoms
Anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa (when a person displays anorexia symptoms but is of a “normal” or higher weight) typically involve consuming significantly less food than one needs, which may lead to caloric or nutritional deficits.
Other symptoms of anorexia nervosa can include those listed below:
- Rapid weight loss
- Dry hair or skin
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Fear of gaining weight
- Believing one is overweight even if they are severely underweight
Bulimia nervosa symptoms
Adolescents with bulimia nervosa may engage in episodes of binging (consuming significant quantities of food in a small amount of time) and purging (behaviors intended to “get rid of” the food or prevent weight gain).
Purging behaviors can include forcing oneself to vomit, misusing diuretics or laxatives, or excessive fasting. Other symptoms of bulimia nervosa can include the following:
- Rapid changes in mood
- Significant preoccupation with food
- Inflamed or sore throat
- Negative body image
- Bloating
- Unhealthy weight control behaviors
- Feelings of guilt and shame around eating
How can eating disorders affect an adolescent’s health?
Eating disorders can have a variety of negative effects on the physical and mental health of children and adolescents:
- Low blood pressure
- Weakened bones
- Irregular heartbeat
- Delayed puberty
- Depression and anxiety
- Blood in stool or vomit
The health impacts that arise can vary depending on the disorder. For example, it may be more likely for individuals with bulimia nervosa to experience enamel erosion due to frequent forced vomiting.
Is weight loss or a preoccupation with food always a sign of an eating disorder?
While weight loss or a preoccupation with food often has the potential to be problematic, these are not always signs of an eating disorder. Some individuals may intentionally diet and lose weight at a healthy pace or through a program recommended by a medical professional, while others could focus on food due to an interest in cooking, for example. However, it can be important for parents and loved ones to watch these situations closely.
When weight loss or a preoccupation with food is cause for concern
If you notice that your child is losing weight rapidly, it could indicate the presence of an eating disorder. Obsessions with counting calories or fasting can also be red flags. Other signs for which to watch include those listed below:
- Skipping meals or establishing specific eating rituals
- Taking diuretics or laxatives
- Throwing up after meals
- Engaging in excessive exercise, even when sick or injured
- Displaying hair loss, puffy cheeks, or swollen salivary glands
- Isolating from friends or family, especially during meal time
- Making self-critical comments about their body shape or size
Eating disorder treatment for children and adolescents
One eating disorder treatment that may be effective for children and adolescents is family-based therapy (FBT). FBT can teach parents how to manage their child’s eating habits and create an environment that encourages recovery.
Other forms of mental health and eating disorder treatment for adolescents
While it may not be specifically for adolescents, enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E) can help individuals with eating disorders recognize potentially harmful patterns and recover. CBT-E often involves four distinct stages.
- Stage 1: Individuals learn about the underlying causes of disordered eating and difficulties with food.
- Stage 2: Providers review the progress a client has made and develop a plan for the remainder of therapy.
- Stage 3: Therapy generally focuses on the thought processes that may maintain eating or food difficulties, including concerns about shape and weight or other areas of life that may contribute to an eating disorder.
- Stage 4: The final stage of CBT-E can emphasize how to maintain changes going forward and find ways to cope with any setbacks that may occur.
Online therapy for parents
It can be challenging to know how to best support your child and help them throughout the recovery process. Many parents find it helpful to speak to a therapist about their thoughts and feelings, as well as receive parenting advice and guidance. However, it can be challenging to fit in-person therapy sessions into a busy schedule. Online therapy may be an accessible and convenient alternative.
Research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy. In a 2022 meta-analysis of 12 trials including some participants with eating disorders, researchers compared data involving a total of 931 patients. They found no significant differences between the outcomes of online and in-person therapy.
Takeaway
What percentage of children have eating disorder symptoms?
According to a systematic literature review in the the Journal of Pediatrics, child and adolescent eating disorders are common, with rates of psychiatric disorders rising in children worldwide in the last 20 years. The journal reports data from a global health data exchange, showcasing that 22% of children worldwide live with an eating disorder, amounting to millions of children. For this reason, screening eating disorders early can be essential to treating eating disorder symptoms in children and young adults.
What are five statistics about eating disorders and eating disorder treatment?
Below are five general eating disorder statistics about the most prevalent eating disorders and their treatments from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA):
- 28.8 million Americans will have diagnosed eating disorders in their lifetime
- Every 52 minutes, an individual dies due to the associated risk factors of disordered eating symptoms due to eating behavior disorders
- Over 3.3 million healthy life years are lost due to disordered eating behaviors
- The most common eating disorder is anorexia nervosa, followed by bulimia nervosa
If you’re unsure whether you have an eating disorder, you can talk to a mental health provider. They will look at the criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) for eating disorders, psychiatric disorders characterized by disordered eating behaviors. If you meet the criteria and have an existing eating disorder, they can refer you to treatment and may offer a clinical diagnosis. In some cases, psychiatrists or therapists may perform an eating disorder screening to look for eating disorder pathology and assess your eating disorder risk.
Why do children develop eating disorders and problems with food and weight loss?
Children may develop eating disorder behaviors for many reasons. Experts frequently cite a mixture of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to physical or mental disorders like eating disorders. If you detect disordered eating behaviors in your child or are worried that they aren’t at their normal weight, speak to their doctor. They can perform a children’s eating attitudes test and other eating disorder screening tools to look for probable eating disorders. Restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) are more common in children. Reported disordered eating behaviors can be taken seriously more quickly, allowing doctors and mental health professionals to assess disordered eating from the beginning and find early treatment for eating disorder patients at any age.
What age is most likely to have an eating disorder?
Teen girls between 13 and 19 are at the highest risk of a mental illness like an eating disorder. However, anyone of any age or sex can report disordered eating symptoms. You can get disordered eating assessed by a licensed psychiatrist or therapist. Once they’ve analyzed disorder eating patterns, they may provide a diagnosis based on adolescent psychiatry diagnostic criteria from the DSM-5 and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Diseases, 11th version (ICD-11). You can also assess disordered eating habits at home by taking a screening, but these quizzes are not a replacement for screening detected eating disorders by a professional.
What group has the highest rate of eating disorders?
Adolescents have the highest rate of eating disorders. These conditions may be caught by accident, such as in the case of adolescent dental patients who have eroded gums due to purging behaviors. A therapist trained in supporting this age group can distinguish disordered eating from other conditions and use a mixture of self-reported interpersonal factors and screening tools to support the client. Symptoms predict outcomes related to health in many cases, but early prevention can be helpful in reducing the impact of an adolescent’s symptoms.
What is the rate of eating disorders worldwide?
According to NEDA, over 28 million US adults have eating disorders. Around 2.2 million children worldwide live with an eating disorder. Adolescents showed disordered eating at higher rates than other groups, as well as male athletes and middle-aged women. Looking for lifestyle risk factors and signs of eating disorder behaviors can be helpful in detecting these conditions early.
In some cases, symptoms of an eating disorder fail to explain what an individual is experiencing. In these cases, they might be living with another condition altogether, so talking to a doctor can be advantageous. They can follow disordered eating behaviors to understand the individual’s case more personally. When an eating disorder doesn’t meet the criteria for a specific DSM-5 eating disorder, someone might be diagnosed under the “other specified eating disorders” category.
What are the facts and statistics about unhealthy eating and eating disorders in adolescents?
Millions of adolescents are impacted by eating disorders and unhealthy eating patterns worldwide. However, treatment is frequently proven highly effective in treating symptoms, so seeking help can be advantageous. A nutritionist may also be helpful, as they can help a client build an eating plan. Eating healthy consists of various steps that are tailored to each client, so talk to your doctor or child’s pediatrician to learn more.
What are the statistics of adolescent eating disorders and mental health conditions?
Eating disorders in adolescents almost tripled over the pandemic, and adolescents are at a higher risk of these conditions. For this reason, paying attention to risk factors when they arise can ensure individuals receive the most effective support for their unique situation. Other mental health conditions that are common in adolescents include depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
What causes eating disorders?
Eating disorders can have many causes, including genetic and environmental factors. People who have experienced a traumatic event may be at higher risk of having an eating disorder. In addition, a family history of eating disorders can increase one’s risk.
What is an eating disorder explained for kids?
Here is a way you might explain an eating disorder to a child: Eating disorders are problems in the brain that make eating hard for some people. They might not like their bodies very much. In some cases, they struggle to eat certain textures. Eating disorders are not a choice and are like a sickness in the mind. However, people with these conditions can get help from a doctor to get better.
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