Smartphone ownership linked to higher risk of eating disorder symptoms among 12-year olds
· Medical Xpressby Sanjukta Mondal, Medical Xpress
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Take a walk down the street, and you'll see that most people are holding a smartphone. From older people to toddlers, screens have taken over much of our lives. While younger children have some adult supervision over how they use their phones, recent data suggest that 7 in 10 12-year-olds own a personal smartphone. Scientists are increasingly concerned about this pattern, as research has linked early smartphone ownership and high screen time with higher rates of depression, anxiety and body image concerns, which can lead to eating disorders.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open examined whether getting a smartphone at age 12 could be linked to the development of eating disorder symptoms later in adolescence among young people in the United States.
Researchers analyzed data from 8,957 adolescents across 21 centers in the U.S. who took part in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The participants were interviewed to identify eating disorder symptoms, including binge eating, unhealthy behaviors to prevent weight gain, concerns about gaining weight and tying self-worth to body weight.
By age 14, nearly 1 in 4 teens who owned a smartphone reported experiencing at least one eating disorder symptom. The differences were even more notable among 12-year-olds. Those who owned a smartphone at that age were 61% more likely to experience binge eating than those who didn't. They were also more than twice as likely to tie their self-worth to their body weight.
Burden of eating disorders
Eating disorders are far more than picky eating or unusual food habits. They are serious and complex mental health conditions that can have devastating consequences, including thousands of deaths worldwide. What makes this especially concerning is the vulnerability of adolescents. Millions of young people around the world live with eating disorders, while more than 1 in 5 adolescents engage in disordered eating behaviors.
The years between the ages of 10 and 14 bring drastic changes in a child's life. Their bodies undergo changes that not only leave them confused but also make them more prone to heightened body image concerns. Puberty is when children start seeking approval from peers about how they look, how they dress, what they eat and even the hobbies they pursue. Their self-regulation skills are still developing.
A personal smartphone gives young people private, 24/7 access to algorithm-driven feeds that constantly pump out appearance-based comparisons and pro-eating disorder content. Researchers have also noticed a gap between what teens feel and what their parents report. Because of this gap, parents end up underestimating their child's internalized symptoms of anxiety, emotional withdrawal and other mental health disorders.
Earlier studies have linked greater screen and social media use with disordered eating and body dissatisfaction. Yet little is known about how having personal phones at a young age affects these issues. To get a clearer view, the researchers collected data from adolescents from diverse locations and racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds to ensure the sample reflected the U.S. population.
Parents or caregivers reported whether their child had a personal smartphone and, if so, how old the child was when they first got one. The children then completed a computerized psychiatric interview at age 12 and again two years later, at age 14, allowing researchers to track eating disorder symptoms over time.
What can a phone do?
Twelve-year-olds who owned a personal smartphone were significantly more likely to develop eating disorder symptoms, both immediately and two years later at age 14. Nearly 70% (69.5%) of the 12-year-olds in the national study owned a personal smartphone, and they were 36% more likely to report any eating disorder symptom overall than those who did not. Girls reported significantly higher rates of worry about weight gain than boys.
The two-year follow-up at age 14 found that owning a smartphone at age 12 predicted a 67% higher risk of binge-eating symptoms and a 50% higher risk of using inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as extreme fasting or purging, to prevent weight gain.
The findings make a case for parents to delay an adolescent's first smartphone and tailor content access to their maturity. The authors also suggest tools like the AAP's Family Media Plan to help families build healthy media habits at home. On the policy front, the evidence also points to the need for clearer rules and recommendations around smartphone ownership and social media access during early adolescence.
Written for you by our author Sanjukta Mondal, edited by Sadie Harley, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Egan—this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.
Publication details
Jason M. Nagata et al, Smartphone Ownership and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Early Adolescence, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.37897
Journal information: JAMA Network Open
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PsychiatryPediatricsChildren's healthPsychology & Mental health Who's behind this story?
Sanjukta Mondal
Master's in Chemistry. Freelance science journalist and communicator. Published in Chemistry World, BioSpace, and The Hindu. Full profile →
Sadie Harley
BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →
Robert Egan
Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language. Full profile →
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