Many adolescents struggle with how much they eat. Natural changes during the teenage years lead to large changes in appetite. At the same time, insecurities about body image, frequent anxiety, or trauma can all drive an unhealthy relationship with food.
When these challenges show up, it’s easy to assume teens are going through a phase of insecurity that will pass with time. But left unaddressed, an unhealthy relationship with food can develop into an eating disorder. Far beyond simple picky eating or a “phase,” eating disorders are dangerous mental health conditions that can severely impact a teen’s physical and emotional well-being.
Why Eating Disorders Develop in Adolescence
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 2.7% of U.S. adolescents aged 13 to 18 have experienced an eating disorder. Eating disorders are much more common in girls than boys, occurring roughly twice as often. The Mayo Clinic notes that these conditions often develop during the teenage years, with rates of eating disorders on the rise in young women.
Teens experience rapid physical and emotional change as they develop their self-image. They also face a culture of constant social comparison, with social media often presenting ideas about the “perfect” body and the lifestyle choices necessary to attain it. The Mayo Clinic notes how these messages can impact teen body image and contribute to the development of eating disorders. Studies have shown that low self-esteem, depression, perfectionism, and stress can also contribute to eating disorders.
Recognizing the Signs of an Eating Disorder in a Teen
The National Alliance for Eating Disorders identifies several common warning signs that may indicate a teen is struggling, including:
- Developing strict rituals and habits around food
- Restricting food, purging, or eating past the point of fullness
- An obsession over weight and physical characteristics
- Excessive or compulsive exercise
- Feelings of low self-esteem
- Hoarding or hiding food
- Physical symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, or gastrointestinal problems
Because eating disorders often develop gradually and are frequently hidden, these signs can be easy for families to miss or dismiss at first.
Common Types of Eating Disorders
NIMH outlines several distinct types of eating disorders that can affect teens. Each carries its own risks and requires a tailored approach to treatment. The National Alliance for Eating Disorders highlights that early intervention consistently improves outcomes across all of them.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa involves severe restriction of food intake, driven by an intense fear of weight gain and a distorted sense of body shape or size. Teens with anorexia often see themselves as overweight even when dangerously underweight.
Harvard Health describes the two forms of anorexia nervosa.
The restrictive form involves intense limiting of what and how much an individual eats.
The binge-purge form involves those same kinds of limits on what and how much an individual eats. In addition, however, individuals with the binge-purge form will eat large amounts at once. Then, they attempt to get rid of those calories through excessive exercise, vomiting, laxatives, or other strategies.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa involves recurring episodes of binge eating followed by behaviors intended to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, fasting, or excessive exercise. This same binging and purging behavior exists in the binge-purge form of anorexia. However, individuals with bulimia often have a normal or high body mass index, rather than an extremely low weight as in anorexia.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder involves regularly eating unusually large amounts of food, often quickly and to the point of discomfort. This is often accompanied by feelings of shame, guilt, or loss of control. Binge eating disorder does not involve purging.
Harvard Health notes that binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States. As with other eating disorders, teens with this condition often struggle with related anxiety, depression, or body dissatisfaction that treatment must address.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
ARFID involves limiting the amount or variety of food eaten, but not due to weight concerns. The National Eating Disorders Association notes three subtypes of ARFID. These are a lack of interest in eating, sensory sensitivities to a food’s taste or texture, or fear of consequences like choking. These limitations on food intake mean individuals with ARFID often run the risk of malnutrition.
Physical and Psychological Dangers of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can affect nearly every system in the body, including cardiac complications, digestive problems, hormonal disruption, and bone density loss. The National Alliance for Eating Disorders notes that eating disorders carry one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness.
Any teen showing rapid weight change, fainting, chest pain, or thoughts of self-harm needs prompt medical evaluation. For less acute but persistent symptoms, a conversation with a pediatrician or mental health professional is critical.
Treatment Approaches for Adolescent Eating Disorders
The Mayo Clinic writes that effective treatment for adolescent eating disorders often involves a coordinated team of medical, nutritional, and mental health providers. This team can assist in developing a treatment plan to address both the physical and mental consequences of eating disorders.
Talk therapy often acts as a major foundation for eating disorder treatment. Therapy can help individuals develop healthier eating patterns, build self-esteem, and find constructive coping strategies.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help teens identify and shift the distorted thoughts about food, weight, and body image that drive disordered eating. The Mayo Clinic notes that a specialized form of CBT, known as CBT-E, has strong evidence for treating bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) helps teens who use disordered eating to manage difficult emotions. With DBT, teens build distress tolerance and emotional regulation skills as healthier alternatives. DBT is used frequently to address binge eating and bulimia symptoms.
Across all approaches, family involvement remains central to recovery. The Mayo Clinic stresses the importance of education to help parents support their teen as they develop healthier eating patterns. Parents play an important role in providing structure around meals, modeling a healthy relationship with food, and offering steady emotional support.
In addition to talk therapy, treatment for eating disorders can involve a combination of nutrition education and medication. These are often included as parts of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Professional Treatment for Adolescent Eating Disorders at Pillars Adolescent in Concord, Massachusetts
At Pillars Adolescent, our teen outpatient treatment programs provide compassionate, evidence-based care for teens navigating disordered eating. We also help teens overcome related mental health struggles, such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. We’re located at 80-1 Beharrell St, Concord, Massachusetts.
Our Full-Day Teen Outpatient Treatment Program offers intensive support for teens whose symptoms significantly affect daily functioning. Our Half-Day Teen Outpatient Treatment Program offers more flexible scheduling as teens participate in school and family life.
Our clinical teams use evidence-based modalities, including CBT, DBT, and trauma-focused approaches, to help teens overcome eating disorders and develop long-term recovery. We deliver treatment across individual and group sessions, working closely with families throughout.
Building Sustained Recovery from Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can dramatically impact a teen’s physical health, self-esteem, and overall well-being. With comprehensive treatment and support, however, teens can develop the tools and confidence they need to navigate life without turning to disordered eating patterns. That work ultimately leads to a healthier relationship with food and their bodies.
Take the first step toward healing and happiness for your teen and your family. Contact Pillars Adolescent today at 855-828-0575 for compassionate support, personalized care, and answers to your questions.
