Study reveals bulimic behaviors in children as young as ten, more boys than girls affected

According to a study of 16,000 adolescents, children as young as ten are inducing vomiting to lose weight.  In fact, purging was most prevalent in participants aged 10–12 (15·9%) and least prevalent in participants aged 16–18 (7·5%).  Overall, 13% of participants reported that they induced vomiting, with more boys affected than girls.

The study, which tracked sleep patterns, activity, and diet, concluded “Self-induced vomiting was prevalent among adolescents who had tried to lose weight; sedentary lifestyle, shorter sleep length and unhealthy eating habits may contribute significantly to this behaviour [sic] among these adolescents.”  Those students who had over two hours of daily screen time (TV, computer and internet use, and video games), for example, were more likely to use purging behaviors than students who had two hours or fewer.  All students filled out assessments of their sleep, activity, diet, and purging behaviors; school nurses recorded students’ weight and height.  According to the study, pediatric obesity rates have tripled in industrialized countries, and in Taiwan rates have steadily increased as well (in both males and females) .  It came as no surprise then that purging as a weight-control strategy has increased as well.

The authors had several hypotheses for the greater rates of purging among these boys, including the fact that the boys had higher rates of obesity than the girls.  As to why younger children had higher rates of purging, the authors suggested that they might not be aware of other healthy weight control behaviors.

The rising rates of eating disorder behaviors among adolescents should send a warning to schools about early intervention.  Like this study in Taiwan, a 2010 study from the UK acknowledged that at least half of those struggling with Anorexia developed their eating disorder by age 10.  Moreover, while eating disorders have primarily affected females, these studies reveal that increased attention should be given to the struggles of males with eating disorders.

Source: Journal of Clinical Nursing