Children who had their own smartphone at age 12 were more likely to report eating disorder symptoms two years later than children who did not, according to a U.S. study published Sept. 25, 2026, in JAMA Network Open. By age 14, 24.2% of early phone owners reported at least one symptom, compared with 15.5% of those who did not have a phone at 12.
The findings come from 8,957 adolescents across the country who were followed from age 12 to 14. About 70% of them already had a smartphone at 12. The study found an association, not proof that phones cause eating disorders, and the researchers did not name an ideal age for a first phone.
