Eating Disorder Among Teens
When food becomes more than just food: Societal pressure, standards, and expectations. A silent struggle.
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Joe Chang
1/4/20254 min read
*Disclaimer *:
The following blog post may be triggering to readers suffering from eating disorders. Reader discretion is advised.
Understanding eating disorders
If you’ve never delved into the topic, chances are that you might know eating disorders solely as an inability to consume food properly due to some genetically rooted condition. However, the type of eating disorder that’s most prevalent among adolescents is psychological rather than genetic. These eating disorders are often characterized by the deliberate restriction of food consumption, and or binging behaviors followed by forced purging of just binged food through vomiting, excessive exercising, or ingestion of laxatives. These disordered behaviors are known as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, which are the most common psychological eating disorders that affect up to 5% of adolescents and young adults. While these disorders can affect individuals of any gender, they are more frequently diagnosed in women. Statistics reveal that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, one in seven males and one in five females has experienced, or is currently experiencing, one or both of these eating disorders.
Root causes
Despite ongoing research, dieticians, nutritionists, and doctors have yet to precisely identify a singular cause for psychological eating disorders. However, evidence from surveys and studies suggests that social media appears to be a significant contributor. Platforms often expose teens to idealized, heavily edited images portraying what society deems “beautiful” or “acceptable”. Moreover, some platforms also advertise beauty and weight loss products in feeds. Data researchers have proved that certain social media algorithms (TikTok and Instagram, to name a few) do in fact specifically target teens with manipulated photos, contributing to poor self-esteem that spirals into eating disorders. Studies have identified a direct correlation between time spent on social media and the risk of developing eating disorders. This exposure can distort self-perception and spark unhealthy behaviors, leading to poor self-esteem and a heightened focus on body image.
The nuance
What makes eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa–and all kinds of eating disorders–difficult to identify is that those who suffer often do so in isolation. For psychological disorders in particular, it’s a mental battle, and victims struggle to speak out about it because they may fear that others may not understand. However, there are observable signs that parents and loved ones can watch for, which may indicate someone is struggling with Anorexia or Bulimia, such as:
Skipping meals intentionally
Creating a boundary or rules around eating in general
Concerning the rate of weight loss
Excessive/obsession with exercising
Excessive/obsession with a weight scale
Abrupt mood swings (caused by constant hunger)
A common misunderstanding about eating disorders is the assumption that someone either has or doesn’t have an eating disorder based solely on physical appearance. For example, some individuals may naturally appear very thin due to genetics, but they physically appear to be emaciated. Furthermore, questions arise about contexts like actors and actresses, bodybuilders/fitness influencers, or individuals striving to look a certain way–the natural desire of a person to look thinner. Would these cases still be considered, or be indicative of Anorexia, Bulimia, or another eating disorder? The complexity of eating disorders lies in the personal and psychological roots, which often extend beyond mere appearances of lifestyle.
Rebuilding Trust
Speaking from personal experience, the most important advice for someone struggling with Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa is to trust your body again. These disorders distort one’s relationship with food and perception of body image, and rebuilding that connection starts with learning to trust yourself and your body’s signals. What victims need to understand is that all edible foods–as recognized by the FDA–aren’t inherently “good” or “bad”. The focus shouldn’t be on the caloric content of the food, but rather the dosage. The correct approach should be to watch out for the amount you eat. To help demonstrate, we all know that consuming too much alcohol can severely damage your liver. Likewise, spinach, widely recognized as a healthy food, can severely increase the chances of kidney stone formation when eaten in large quantities. As for the obsession with exercising to burn off calories, victims should realize that their resting metabolism accounts for about 60% of the body’s daily energy expenditure, and exercising only accounts for about 30%...surprised? This just goes to show that exercising isn’t actually the most efficient way of burning away consumed calories, but simply sitting in your chair doing homework or watching YouTube is the most effective way. Last but not least, our bodies have survived the test of time, and are one heck of a self-efficient machine incredible at maintaining homeostasis and surviving through difficult conditions. Believe it or not, we all have a genetic set point for an ideal body fat percentage. Some individual’s set points are lower, and some are higher, and this is completely determined by your genetics. This set point helps protect us during times of scarcity and is a type of anticipatory action in the case of a famine, drought, or disaster that causes food to become scarce. If your body fat percentage drops below your genetic set point, your body will trigger hormonal responses that will make you feel miserable, and yes, this is coming from personal experience. But what if you dislike your body fat percentage and it’s your genetic set point? Guess what, exercising has been shown to be able to decrease genetic set points, as your body reacts to exercising, it’ll naturally want to carry less weight by carrying less body fat, and therefore decrease your set point. Ultimately, healing involves acknowledging your body's efficiency and learning to work with, not against, its natural mechanisms.