Signs of Eating Disorders in Teens
When it comes to eating disorders, prevention and early intervention is key,
The therapists at Reclaim therapy specialize in providing eating disorder therapy in Pennsylvania.
we want to empower parents with knowledge, so you know what to look for when it comes to concerns about your teen’s relationship with food and their body.
Eating disorders occur across the lifespan in all body types. And, we know that teens are at significant risk for developing eating disorders. Research has shown that the average onset of an eating disorder is between the ages of 13-18 and that eating disorders occur in close to 3% of teens in that age range.
There are many nuanced reasons for this including puberty, bullying, social media exposure, your family’s relationship with, and beliefs about, food and body, genetic predisposition and athletics.
here are some common, and not so common, symptoms of an eating disorder in teens to keep an eye out for:
Lack of growth in a growing child according to the child’s growth curve, or lack of weight gain
Refusal to eat certain food groups, refusal to eat at meal times, sudden changes to eat “healthier” or requests to overhaul their diet to be vegan or vegetarian.
Engaging in excessive or rigid movement practices
Increased interest in cooking shows, nutrition labels or interest in cooking meals for others- people of all ages who are not eating enough might replace eating with other food-focused activities
Disappearing after meals- this is common in teens who are engaging in purging behaviors
Body insecurity and body comparisons
Wearing baggy clothes- often to disguise weight loss
Avoiding eating in public or in groups
Hiding food in their bedroom, sneaking food, or stashing/hiding wrappers or boxes of food
Loss or delay of a menstrual cycle
Tracking the food that they eat
Research has shown that children with a high number of eating disorder symptoms at the age of 9 also had a high number of symptoms at 12. In this particular study these symptoms included restriction of food, binge eating, feelings of shame or anxiety about body changes and purging.
The research also cited 3 major symptoms that parents should keep an eye out for including teens who are dissatisfied with their bodies, girls with depressive symptoms and symptoms of disordered eating cited above. This to say, without intervention, eating disorder symptoms will likely continue throughout the teen years.
Research has also shown that if a teen receives treatment within the first 3 years of the onset of an eating disorder they have a much greater chance for recovery. For example, one study showed that people receiving treatment for bulimia within the first few years of onset had a recovery rate of 80%, while those who waited 15 years after onset experienced recovery at a rate of 20%.
Again, prevention and early intervention is key to helping our kids live big, full lives, free from obsession with food and weight. We provide eating disorder therapy in Pennsylvania for both teens and adults.
We want parents to know that you are not to blame if your teen is exhibiting signs of an eating disorder. If you see red flags that your teen is having a hard time with food or their body image, it is important to share your concerns with your pediatrician or seek help from an eating disorder specialist.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are in need support for yourself or your teen.
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Here at Reclaim Therapy we provide specialized eating disorder therapy in Pennsylvania.
We’re a group of trauma therapists committed to the prevention and specialized treatment of body image and disordered eating. We believe that knowledge is power and that eating intuitively and becoming body compassionate is something that we are all worthy of.