There are triggers everywhere for people with this disorder

With access to so many forms of media, it’s easy to compare yourself to others – especially when it comes to filters and photoshop. This can be especially triggering for the alarming number of teens battling eating disorders.

“This exposure can be harmful for a young person who is developmentally at a stage where they’re already struggling to accept their changing body and have a strong desire to fit in with their peers,” says Dr. Huma Khan, an adolescent medicine physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital.

According to the Journal of Pediatrics, eating disorder-related health visits more than doubled among people under the age of 17 between 2018 to 2022. While social media can certainly be a risk factor, Dr. Khan says triggering images and language that promotes unrealistic beauty standards can be found almost everywhere. Teens also pay attention to the way peers and family members talk about their self-image. Because of this, Dr. Khan advises parents to also be aware of how they speak about food and their own bodies.

“Aim to have a household focused on body positivity. It’s well-known that diet culture has harmful effects on teens. It’s important to model language and behavior that promotes body positivity versus self-criticism and fears of certain foods or weight gain,” she says

Eating disorder development is multifactorial and it can be hard for parents to detect whether their teen might be struggling with one, especially early on.

Dr. Khan says signs of an eating disorder to watch for include:

• Fixation on calorie counting
• Measuring food, becoming more restrictive about food choices or completely removing a food group from their diet
• Increased interest in reading labels
• Excessive exercising
• Avoiding eating with or in front of others
• Cutting food into small pieces or taking a long time to eat
• Negative or distorted self-image
• Physical signs like weight loss, lightheadedness, dizziness, constipation, abdominal pain or loss of menstrual period in females

If your teen is exhibiting any of these signs, Dr. Khan says to not avoid the topic but to approach it head on.

“It’s a difficult conversation. I recommend choosing a quiet time and approaching the teen in a calm, nonjudgmental way. It’s also important to use ‘I’ statements, like ‘I’m really worried about the way you’ve been eating’ or ‘I notice you have been exercising a lot more.’ Be prepared for anger and denial because those are common feelings for someone who does have an eating disorder and is approached about their eating behaviors, especially if they are an adolescent,” Dr. Khan says.

Once that conversation happens, the next step is scheduling an appointment with a pediatrician or adolescent medicine specialist.

“The sooner eating disorders are diagnosed, the better the prognosis,” Dr. Khan says.

Are you trying to find a pediatrician? Find one in Illinois or Wisconsin.