A fresh survey has revealed how common binge eating is among US teenagers, prompting alarm over their eating habits and mental health and lack of access to early intervention.
The CDC’s 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 40.5% of high school students reported binge eating on at least one day in the previous 30 days. The analysis included responses from 6,898 students who answered the binge-eating question. In addition, 17.2% reported binge eating on three or more days during the same period.
Binge eating was correlated with additional markers of emotional well-being based on the CDC report. Students who reported poor mental health, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, or seriously considered suicide were more likely to report binge eating on three or more days than students who did not report those experiences.
Higher frequency of social media use also was linked to a greater prevalence. Among students who used social media at least hourly, 22.8% said they binge ate at least three times in the past month, versus 12.9% of students who used social media once a day or less.
The study doesn’t prove that social media causes binge eating. “More research is needed before we know how and if it’s related to binge eating, ” the researchers say. Concerns about body image, comparing yourself with others and exposure to content that stresses appearance could all be factors, the survey can’t tell.
Emotional distress and eating behaviours may affect each other in complex ways. Some young people might turn to food when dealing with challenging emotions, while feelings of distress or shame related to eating can cause additional problems. The study identifies associations but does not establish a single cause.
The results also varied by sex and by racial or ethnic groups. 18.6% of female students and 15.9% of male students reported binge eating 3 or more days.
The rates were 20.5% among Hispanics, 18.7% among Blacks and 14.6% among Whites. The authors said problems with food and eating should be a concern for all students, rather than singled out for one or another group of students.
The implications of these differences are relevant to schools and health professionals working on prevention and support programmes. Eating disorders and disordered eating can impact students from various cultural, ethnic, and gender groups and some students may not identify what they are experiencing as something they should speak to a professional about.
The study supports the need for increased education about disordered eating among school-aged children for parents, teachers, health, professionals, and general practitioners. Teachers and school counsellors are mostly in a position to observe if a young person is experiencing difficulties, if they are provided with the necessary resources and training.
Supporting parents and caregivers can foster these conversations by ensuring they are open, honest, and without any force or judgement. The more we fixate on weight, appearance, and restrictive eating the harder these conversations may be for adolescents. Creating a positive environment will foster open communication before it becomes an issue.