What does this research mean for the field?

Adolescents from households with lower parental education and income are more likely to present with eating disorder symptoms, challenging the historical view that eating disorders primarily affect higher socioeconomic groups. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.CHALLENGES_CONSENSUS.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the relationship between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and eating disorder symptoms among adolescents in the general population, and identify which SES indicators are most relevant.

September 8, 2026International Journal of Eating DisordersOpen Access

Research Update: A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Eating Disorder Symptoms and Parental Socioeconomic Status ( SES ) Among Adolescents

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

LSLea Steinstad ASAlice Schittek MCMarcelo Cardona

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Systematic review and meta-analysis reveals lower eating disorder risk in adolescents with higher parental education and income, highlighting socioeconomic disparities in symptom presentation.

Key Points

To evaluate the relationship between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and eating disorder symptoms among adolescents in the general population, and identify which SES indicators are most relevant.
Conducted a PRISMA-compliant search across six databases (Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest) for quantitative studies from Western countries published from January 2000 onward.
Identified 56,653 records and included 51 articles assessing parental SES indicators and adolescent eating disorder symptoms for systematic review and meta-analysis.
Parental education was the most frequently used indicator (>50%), with meta-analysis demonstrating a significantly lower likelihood of eating disorder symptoms in adolescents whose parents had higher educational attainment (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.72–0.95, p = 0.007).
Higher household income was generally negatively associated with adolescent eating disorder symptoms, particularly binge eating behaviors, whereas composite SES indexes and proxy measures showed inconsistent findings.

Cite This Study

Steinstad et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd79b58e84d0ff5b466d4 https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.70178

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

September 8, 2026International Journal of Eating DisordersOpen Access

Research Update: A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Eating Disorder Symptoms and Parental Socioeconomic Status ( SES ) Among Adolescents

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

LSLea Steinstad ASAlice Schittek MCMarcelo Cardona

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Systematic review and meta-analysis reveals lower eating disorder risk in adolescents with higher parental education and income, highlighting socioeconomic disparities in symptom presentation.

Key Points

To evaluate the relationship between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and eating disorder symptoms among adolescents in the general population, and identify which SES indicators are most relevant.
Conducted a PRISMA-compliant search across six databases (Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest) for quantitative studies from Western countries published from January 2000 onward.
Identified 56,653 records and included 51 articles assessing parental SES indicators and adolescent eating disorder symptoms for systematic review and meta-analysis.
Parental education was the most frequently used indicator (>50%), with meta-analysis demonstrating a significantly lower likelihood of eating disorder symptoms in adolescents whose parents had higher educational attainment (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.72–0.95, p = 0.007).
Higher household income was generally negatively associated with adolescent eating disorder symptoms, particularly binge eating behaviors, whereas composite SES indexes and proxy measures showed inconsistent findings.

Cite This Study

Steinstad et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd79b58e84d0ff5b466d4 https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.70178

Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark