Excessive Smartphone Use Linked to Disordered Eating in Young People

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has found a significant association between excessive smartphone use and disordered eating behaviors, including uncontrolled eating and emotional overeating, as well as greater symptoms of food addiction in young people who have not been diagnosed with an eating disorder.

Study Findings

The research, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, established a consistent link between Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) – defined as behavioral or psychological reliance on a smartphone – and the severity of eating disorder symptoms. Researchers suggest these findings underscore the need for early intervention strategies targeting excessive phone use in young individuals exhibiting signs of disordered eating.

While previous studies have explored the negative impact of problematic internet use, social media exposure, and harmful online content on body image and body dysphoria, this study specifically focused on PSU. Researchers analyzed data from 35 studies across the globe, encompassing a sample size of 52,584 participants with an average age of 17.

The analysis revealed that higher daily smartphone use was associated with increased food addiction symptoms, broader disordered eating behaviors such as uncontrolled or emotional eating, and body dissatisfaction, even in individuals without a formal eating disorder diagnosis. This association was particularly pronounced among those who used their phones for more than seven hours a day.

Expert Commentary

“Smartphones have become ubiquitous in our everyday lives,” said Ben Carter, Professor of Medical Statistics at King’s IoPPN and the study’s senior author. “It is apparent from our study that, even for people without a diagnosis of an eating disorder, the overuse of a smartphone is associated with poor body satisfaction and altered eating behaviors, and is a potential source of distress.”

Dr. Johanna Keeler, a Visiting Lecturer at King’s IoPPN and the study’s first author, added, “Adolescence is a key stage of development as individuals evolve their sense of self by observing others. While smartphones might present an easy way for this to happen, being consistently exposed to idealized images can lead them to compare their own appearance with these ‘standards,’ leading to poor self-esteem and appearance dissatisfaction – both risk factors for the development of an eating disorder.”

About the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience

The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) is a leading center for mental health and neuroscience research, education, and training in Europe. As a faculty of King’s College London, the IoPPN is dedicated to understanding, preventing, and treating mental illness, neurological conditions, and other conditions affecting the brain. The institute collaborates closely with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Source: Journal reference: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn