Eating disorders among children are increasing, a new study finds

Eating disorders among children and adolescents appear to be on the rise, especially among younger kids.

This report published online Monday in Pediatrics estimates that 0.5% of adolescent girls in the U.S. have anorexia and 1% to 2% meet the criteria for bulimia. It also says more boys and more children younger than 12 are being diagnosed with eating disorders.

Early diagnosis and treatment are key to heading off serious medical problems. Parents who think their child may have a problem might want to check out this screening test from PsychCental.com and another from the U.K.-based NetDoctor.com.

An American Academy of Family Physicians report provides some background and symptoms. The National Institutes of Mental Health describes different types of eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder.

And this tool from the Center for Eating Disorders can help determine how to identify which eating behaviors are dangerous.

Learn how eating disorders are affecting more and more college students in this Hartford Courant story. And read about actress Portia de Rossi’s struggle with her eating disorder on the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s blog the Skinny.