Childhood Trauma May Spur Unhealthy Eating

A recent study found that teenagers who suffered severe trauma during their childhood are more likely to develop an eating disorder. Lead researcher Dr. Joshua M. Smyth and his team from Syracuse University in New York gathered information from 209 freshmen college students who were asked questions about various forms of childhood trauma.

"Students who, for example, said they'd suffered a 'violent trauma' in the past were more likely than their peers to skip meals, fast, binge-eat or abuse diet pills or laxatives. Bingeing, laxative abuse and vomiting were also more common among students who said they'd been traumatized by divorce or the death of someone they loved."

As a result of his team's research, Smyth has suggested that incoming college freshmen get screened for past traumas. Those with traumatic childhoods would then be given information on how to get help. Source: Reuters
 

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