Horrifying Research Finds What Happens to 12-Year-Olds Who Get Smart Phones

Key Points:

• New research published in JAMA Network Open indicates that children who own smartphones by age 12 are more likely to develop eating disorder symptoms compared to those who do not have phones at that age.
• The study suggests that early smartphone ownership increases exposure to social media content focused on appearance, which can foster unhealthy eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction.
• Data from over 6,200 adolescents showed that 24% of 12-year-old phone owners reported eating disorder symptoms by age 14, compared to 16% among peers without early smartphone access.
• Early smartphone users were more likely to tie their self-worth to weight and engage in disordered behaviors such as binge-eating and self-induced vomiting, likely influenced by comparison to curated social media images.
• Experts suggest that even delaying smartphone access by six months to a year could significantly reduce the risk of developing eating disorders and improve mental health outcomes for children.