Introduction:
Today’s food products undergo continual technological progress in their production and processing. The development of knowledge about food – which should be healthy, varied, and able to be prepared quickly – it can be constantly improved upon and developed. However, this development also brings about eating disorders (EDs). One’s social environment can also lead to the occurrence of EDs and the perception of one’s figure. One of the greatest impacts comes from social media and the so-called influencers who shape people’s body image. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of EDs and knowledge about the type of EDs among adolescents aged 13–19 living in the Silesian Voivodeship. The research hypotheses were that the frequency of EDs is low and knowledge about them is high.

Material and methods:
A study of the frequency of EDs and knowledge about EDs among the 13–19-year-old population living in the Silesian Voivodeship was conducted between May and June 2023 on a representative group of 400 people. The sample included both males and females. The study used an original online survey.

Results:
Among the respondents who declared having knowledge of EDs, the highest number reported familiarity with anorexia. Only 4% stated that they were currently experiencing an ED for the first time, while 16% had struggled with an ED for the second time. Among individuals with EDs, as many as 79% did not consult a dietician; the remainder did not follow the prescribed diet plan.

Conclusions:
The results of the research show that the hypotheses of a low incidence of EDs and a high level of knowledge about EDs was correct. In order to reduce the incidence of EDs and increase knowledge about them, nutritional education and information campaigns on EDs and their treatment should be introduced.