While eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia are believed to surface during teenage years when one is most conscious of self and body image, a new research has revealed that these issues can surface as early as a child's elementary years.
Canadian researchers from the University of Montreal assessed 215 elementary school children, aged 8 to 12, who are diagnosed with eating disorders. The data they have gathered regarding these children uncovered that 13 percent showed bulimic tendencies, 15 percent occasionally induce vomiting, 48 percent received outpatient care due to their eating problem while 52 percent were confined at least once due to the issue.
Head researcher, Dr. Dominique Meilleur, a professor at the University of Montreal and a clinical psychologist said in a university press release that the surfacing of eating disorders (particularly bulimia) among elementary kids can be most likely attributed to lack of awareness and investigation.
Dr. Meilleur also said that their research suggests that children who come from families with histories of mental illnesses and/or are often mocked, insulted or teased by their peers are most likely to develop the said disorders.
The results of their study states that 36 percent of the children belong to families where at least one member has been diagnosed with a psychiatric condition. 23 percent of the children also reported that they are often teased by other kids for their appearance.
A majority of the children have been found to have unusual preoccupation on weight and body image. Among all 215 children, 95 percent showed strict control on food intake, 69 percent fear putting on weight and 47 percent consider themselves fat.
Furthermore, researchers also found that this preoccupation is not only present among girls. Boys of this age range who are exposed to one or two of the aforementioned risk factors are very likely to develop eating disorders as well.
