MURFREESBORO, TN - The landscape surrounding eating disorders among school-aged children has changed dramatically in recent years, with health experts warning of a sharp and troubling rise in cases across the United States and globally. Multiple studies now confirm that eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors are affecting children at younger ages and at significantly higher rates than seen just a decade ago, a trend that accelerated during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Locally, the same landscape changes are being seen, according to Nicholas Andall at Special Kids in Murfreesboro... Andall is a Feeding Coach and Speech Pathologist with the local non-profit. 

Data from 2018 to 2022 show that eating disorder–related health visits for children and adolescents in the United States more than doubled, increasing by approximately 107 percent. By the end of 2025, Andall with Special Kids highlighted...

Clinicians nationwide report that what was once considered primarily a teenage issue is now appearing much earlier, with the average age of onset shifting to early adolescence, around 12 to 13 years old. In some cases, specialists say they are diagnosing eating disorders in children as young as five or six...

Research continues to show a strong connection between eating disorders, sensory processing differences, and autism, particularly among children and adolescents... Individuals on the autism spectrum often experience heightened sensory sensitivities to taste, texture, smell, temperature, and appearance of food, which can lead to extreme food selectivity, avoidance, or rigid eating patterns. These sensory-driven behaviors are not rooted in body image concerns but can still result in nutritional deficiencies, weight changes, and clinically significant eating disorders such as avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

Additionally, challenges with interoception—the ability to recognize hunger and fullness cues—can further complicate eating behaviors. When combined with anxiety, a need for routine, and difficulty tolerating change, sensory sensitivities can make mealtimes distressing and reinforce restrictive eating over time, underscoring the importance of early, autism-informed assessment and intervention.

Beyond and Outside the Scope of Autism - The problem appears to go beyond formally diagnosed eating disorders, disordered eating behaviors are also widespread. A major meta-analysis published in a leading pediatric medical journal found that roughly 22 percent of children and adolescents engage in behaviors such as restrictive eating, bingeing, purging, or extreme concern about body weight and shape. While girls remain more likely to experience eating disorders—about 30 percent report disordered eating compared to 17 percent of boys—research indicates that rates among males are increasing at a faster pace in several global studies.

Health professionals stress the seriousness of the issue, noting that eating disorders carry the second-highest mortality rate of any mental illness. This reality underscores the importance of early identification, intervention, and sustained treatment, particularly when symptoms emerge in childhood.

Experts describe the rise in eating disorders as multifactorial, driven by a combination of biological, psychological, and social influences. The COVID-19 pandemic played a significant role by disrupting daily routines, increasing isolation, and elevating stress levels for children and families. These conditions created an environment where maladaptive coping behaviors, including disordered eating, could take hold.

Increased exposure to social media has also been identified as a contributing factor. More screen time has meant greater exposure to “thinspiration” and “fitspiration” content, diet trends, and body-shaming messages, all of which have been linked to body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating behaviors among young people.

Genetics and mental health also play a role. Children are at a significantly higher risk of developing an eating disorder if a parent or sibling has struggled with one. Additionally, those with underlying anxiety or depression face an elevated risk. Weight stigma and bullying—both in-person and online—remain major contributors, often reinforcing negative self-image and unhealthy relationships with food.

As awareness grows, educators, healthcare providers, and parents are being urged to watch for early warning signs and to prioritize supportive, stigma-free conversations about mental health, body image, and nutrition. Experts emphasize that early intervention can be lifesaving and that addressing the issue requires coordinated efforts at home, in schools, and within the healthcare system.

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For feeding support for children in Murfreesboro, Special Kids is a key resource, featuring feeding therapists like Nicholas, who help with sensory aversions, oral-motor delays, and making mealtimes less stressful through parent coaching and individualized therapy for various ages.