It's so sad to find out that someone you know has an eating disorder, no matter how close you are to that person. Sometimes even learning that about a complete stranger - especially when that person is a child.
What would you do you heard that a little girl was suffering from an eating disorder? That a ten year old hated her body and was starving herself?
Now what if that kid was eight?
Seven?
Six years old?
Unfortunately, there is a drastic increase in the age that eating disorders start. Not that long ago, the average age was sixteen...now it's not exactly uncommon to see a kindergartener binge and purge. And that is absolutely heart breaking.
So what is it that is causing the increase of little kids destroying their bodies? Well, research isn't exactly clear on that. The primary confusion comes from the fact that contributing factors to the start of eating disorders haven't changed. The things that made someone susceptible to an eating disorder 20 years ago - or even 2,000 years ago! - are the same contributing factors today. Some of the major factors include low self esteem, feelings of lack of control, history of being bullied, history of abuse, cultural pressures, and skewed views of beauty. While the biological causes are still being researched, it has been shown that eating disorders tend to run in families. Also, triggers in the brain related to appetite, hunger, and feeling full are actually misfiring in some brains.
Now, since all of this has been the same since the dawn of time, what is causing this increase of "early onset anorexia" (before the age of 12)? At this point, it's all guessing. Maybe the media is normalizing it more. Maybe they are more exposed to the idea of it, but not the facts behind it. Or maybe, since children are getting a hold of technology earlier, they're being exposed moreso to the pro-ana/mia communities.
No matter the reasoning, prevention is key for all ages. Not many six-year-olds are exposed to the facts behind eating disorders. Maybe that should change.
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