Nearly 70 percent of adolescents owned a smartphone at age 12, according to research described in The Washington Post. The study found an association between owning a smartphone at that age and a possible increased risk of disordered eating. It doesn't prove that smartphone ownership causes disordered eating.
What the Study Says
The findings focus on early adolescence. At this stage, young people begin asserting more independence and autonomy, while some influence shifts away from parents and toward peers’ social cues; they’re also navigating puberty and new bodily insecurities.
The researchers reported an association, not evidence of cause and effect. The article doesn't provide further study details, such as the number of participants or the size of the measured risk, so those figures can't be stated here.
Guidance for Parents
Experts offer guidance to help parents minimize risks associated with smartphone ownership. The source summary doesn't specify their recommendations, so it doesn't support attributing particular rules or actions to those experts.
Caitlin Gibson's article reports on possible risks linked to owning a device in early adolescence. Its stated finding concerns a possible link to disordered eating, not proof that smartphone access produces the condition. The information provided doesn't identify a policy change, a transfer of authority, effects on a particular population, or institutional beneficiaries.