Giving
The Prentiss Society

Dr. Lisa Damour Addresses the Troubling Trend of Rising Numbers of Eating Disorders in Teens

In her latest New York Times Well-Health Column titled, "Eating Disorders in Teens Have Exploded in the Pandemic," Dr. Lisa Damour, Executive Director of Laurel's Center for Research on Girls, delves into the rising rate of teen eating disorders since the start of the pandemic.
 In the article, Dr. Damour states that there are several possible explanations for this "tsunami of eating concerns in teenagers." She quotes Dr. Walter Kaye, a psychiatrist and the founder and executive director of the eating disorders program at the University of California, San Diego, who says that "People who end up with eating disorders tend to be anxious and stress sensitive - they don't do well with uncertainty." Dr. Damour also states that "Eating disorders have long been linked with high achievement. Driven adolescents who might have normally poured their energy into their academic, athletic or extracurricular pursuits suddenly had too much time on their hands. She also addresses how Instagram and social media - something teens have spent even more time on during the pandemic, is also a factor. Scrutinizing images of peers and influencers on highly visual social media has been implicated in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating."
Back
© 2024 Laurel School. All Rights Reserved.