Body Image and Eating in the Teen Years

Your body changes a lot between 13 and 19. You may grow taller, gain weight in new places, get acne or build muscle on a different timeline than your friends. At the same time, you see more photos of other people than any generation before you. Many of those photos are filtered, posed or edited. It is no surprise that a lot of teens feel unhappy with how they look.

Body image is how you see, think and feel about your body. Feeling unsure about your looks sometimes is normal. But when those feelings start to control what you eat, how you exercise or how you feel about yourself, it can lead to an eating disorder. Eating disorders are serious illnesses, and they are also treatable. The earlier someone gets help, the better.⁴

What body image struggles can look like

Body worries can be quiet. A teen may seem fine on the outside while spending hours each day thinking about food, weight or shape. Some common signs that body image is starting to take over:

• Checking the mirror or scale many times a day, or avoiding mirrors and photos completely
• Comparing your body to others all the time, in person or online
• Skipping meals, cutting out whole food groups or following strict food rules
• Feeling strong guilt or panic after eating
• Exercising even when sick or hurt, or feeling upset when you miss a workout
• Wearing baggy clothes to hide your body
• Pulling away from friends, especially at meals or events with food

Boys may show it differently. They often focus on being lean or muscular rather than thin. Warning signs in boys can include an intense focus on weight control or muscle size, and using muscle-building supplements.⁶ Some teens also limit the kinds of food they eat more and more, not just the amount, or spend a lot of time planning meals and get very upset when routines change.⁶

Eating disorders: the main types

Doctors recognize several eating disorders. A person can move from one to another over time.³

For more detail, see types of eating disorders and signs and symptoms.

Why it happens

There is no single cause. Genes, biology, personality, stress and the world around you all play a part.⁴ A few things matter a lot in the teen years:

• Puberty. Normal weight gain and body changes can feel scary if you do not expect them.
• Edited images. Filters and editing apps make it easy to compare yourself to bodies that do not exist in real life.
• Online content that pushes thinness or "fitness" too hard. Pediatricians warn about posts that praise extreme thinness, videos that show very low daily food intake, and over-focus on fitness. Teens who are already struggling may react more strongly.⁷ Studies link this kind of content to worse body image, though they show a connection, not proof of cause.⁷
• Dieting and weight talk. Teasing about weight and talk about diets at home are linked to eating problems, which is why pediatricians advise families to avoid them.⁶
• Sports and activities that focus on weight or appearance, such as dance, gymnastics, running or wrestling.
• Other mental health conditions. People with eating disorders are more likely to also have depression, anxiety or substance use problems.⁴

How it affects mental health and the body

Constant worry about your looks takes up space in your mind. It can lower self-esteem, make you avoid people and pull your mood down. If you want to see where you stand, try our private self-esteem test.

Eating disorders affect the whole body. Not eating enough can weaken bones, damage the heart and, in ARFID, affect growth. Binge eating is linked to diabetes and heart problems later on.³ Anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental illness, from both medical problems and suicide.³ Eating disorders in teens are also linked to a higher risk of suicide.⁵ This is why early help matters so much. See health effects of eating disorders.

What helps

Eating disorders can be treated successfully, and early treatment leads to better results.^4,6 The badges show how strong the research is (see how we rate evidence).

Steps you can take this week

1. Notice how your feed makes you feel. After scrolling, ask: do I feel better or worse about my body? Unfollow, mute or block accounts that leave you feeling worse.⁷
2. Remember that many photos are edited. Filters, lighting, angles and apps change how bodies look. You are comparing yourself to something that is not real.
3. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals often leads to feeling out of control later. Your growing body needs steady fuel.
4. Move for fun, not punishment. Pick activities you enjoy, like walking with a friend, dancing or a team sport.
5. Talk back to harsh thoughts. Ask what you would say to a friend who said the same thing about themselves. Our Thought Check can walk you through it.
6. Tell someone early. If eating or exercise starts to feel out of control, tell a parent, school counselor, coach or doctor. You do not need to wait until it gets "bad enough."

For parents and friends

Parents have a big influence on how teens feel about their bodies, even when teens act like they are not listening.

• Eat meals together as often as you can.⁶
• Do not comment on your teen's weight or other people's bodies. Avoid talk about diets, calories, and "good" or "bad" foods.⁷
• Watch your own words about your body. Teens notice.
• Ask what your teen sees online, and talk about edited and unrealistic images together.⁷
• Make a family media plan.⁹ See our guide on social media and screens.
• If you notice warning signs, talk with your pediatrician. Early detection improves outcomes.⁶

Pediatricians are also calling on tech companies to block harmful content, such as material that promotes eating disorders, by default for young users.⁹

Friends can help by not commenting on each other's bodies and by speaking up gently: "I've noticed you skip lunch a lot. Are you okay?" If you are worried, tell a trusted adult. You are not getting your friend in trouble. You are helping them get care. See helping someone with an eating disorder.

Special situations

• Athletes. Sports that focus on weight or appearance can raise the risk. Coaches and parents should focus on strength, skill and fueling well, not weight.
• Boys. Eating disorders in boys are often missed because people expect them only in girls. A strong drive to be lean or muscular can be a warning sign.⁶
• Larger bodies. A teen in a larger body can have a serious eating disorder, including one that involves severe restriction. Body size alone does not tell you how sick someone is.³
• Other conditions. Depression and anxiety often come along with eating disorders. See our guide on anxiety and depression.

Common questions

Is it normal to dislike parts of my body?

Yes, many teens do, especially during puberty. It becomes a concern when those thoughts take up a lot of your day, change what you eat or how you exercise, or keep you from doing things you enjoy.

Can boys get eating disorders?

Yes. In one large US survey, about 1.5% of teen boys had an eating disorder, compared with 3.8% of teen girls.² Boys often focus on muscle and leanness, so the signs can look different.⁶

My teen says they are just "eating healthy." How do I know if it is a problem?

Watch for food rules that keep getting stricter, cutting out more and more foods, anxiety or anger when routines change, and pulling away from meals with others.⁶ If you are unsure, ask your pediatrician for a checkup.

Do people fully recover from eating disorders?

Many people do, especially with early treatment and family support.^4,6 Recovery can take time, and setbacks can happen. That does not mean treatment failed.

Want to test what you know? Try our eating disorders myths and facts quiz. For more teen topics, see the teens hub.

When to get help

Talk to a doctor soon if you or your teen:

• Thinks about food, weight or body shape most of the day
• Has strict food rules, skips meals often, or eats large amounts while feeling out of control
• Exercises in a way that feels forced or hard to stop
• Has lost weight quickly, stopped having periods, or feels dizzy or faint
• Feels very low, hopeless or ashamed about their body

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.