Kate Winslet: Pressure of social media can lead kids to eating disorders

Kate Winslet has said the pressure children feel to get validation on social media is a “huge problem” that can lead to eating disorders. "It has a huge impact on young women’s self-esteem, because all they ever do is design themselves for people to like them,“ the 40-year-old actress said. "And what comes along with that? Eating disorders. And that makes my blood boil. And is the reason we don’t have any social media in our house." Winslet, who has three children including a 15-year-old daughter, said she didn’t want to be seen as "another celebrity on a soapbox” but that smartphones and tablets were increasingly eating into family life and that parents should get tough on technology-engrossed kids.

It’s important to say something publicly, like, ‘Let your kids climb trees. Take the device out their hand. Play Monopoly!’

Kate Winslet In an interview with the Sunday Times

The Hollywood star said: “You go to a cafe and grown-ups are at one end of the table and children the other, on devices, not looking up. They go into a world and parents let them … it takes every member of a family to be a member, and there are too many interruptions these days - and devices are a huge interruption.” She added:  "Long car journeys? What happened to good old-fashioned I-Spy?“ Winslet’s warning comes after a study in September showed pressure on teenagers to be always available on social media can lead to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and poor sleep. Teenagers being admitted to UK hospital with eating disorders has also nearly doubled in three years. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned the polished images of friends and celebrities on social media is a "risk factor” in young people developing eating disorders.

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