The Keck School of Medicine of USC-led analysis is one of the first to study disordered eating behaviors in children under 11.
By Zara Abrams
Eating disorders, which affect more than 28 million people nationwide, exact a high toll. In addition to the individual suffering they cause, eating disorders cost the U.S. nearly $65 billion each year.
Early intervention is essential for minimizing harm, but researchers know very little about how disordered eating begins and evolves prior to adolescence. A new study of nearly 12,000 9- and 10-year-olds, published this week in JAMA Pediatrics, provides key insights that help fill that gap. Researchers examined how age, sex, weight and puberty stage were related to behaviors such as binge eating and vomiting to control weight.