|
Disordered
Eating - A Dangerous Trend in Children’s Eating
You’ve seen young
women or men worry about their appearance… "Do I look fat in these
clothes? Will eating that hamburger cause me to gain weight? Why is my
stomach so much 'pudgier' than my friends?" Well, the startling revelation
here is that these concerns are not coming from adolescents. We’re seeing
this now in children as young as 8 or 9 years of age. Children this young
are part of an emerging trend - disordered eating in children.
Eating
and Exercise Patterns
Take this quick quiz
to see if your child is at risk for disordered eating.
- Does your family
eat together less than 4-5 times each week?
- Is anyone in your
family, including your young child, dieting?
- Does your child
engage in ritualized eating behaviors, like chewing every food a certain
number of times before swallowing or eating foods in a specific sequence?
- Does your child
show a loss of appetite or make a conscious effort to restrict calories
by skipping meals/snacks or drastically reducing portion sizes?
- Does your child
or anyone in your family exercise to extremes - long periods of strenuous
activity?
- Is your child
unhappy with his or her weight or body shape?
- Are you or your
child obsessed with fat intake?
- Does your child
eliminate entire food groups from his or her food choices without replacing
the nutrients?
If you answered yes
to even a few of these questions, your child could be developing unhealthy
attitudes and behaviors regarding food. Be aware of the example you set.
What
is disordered eating?
Children have a wide
range of eating behaviors, but there is a big difference between picky
eaters and disordered eating. Preoccupation with body image and quirky
eating habits are danger signals to watch for. Disordered eating is a
complex problem that is characterized by distorted or disturbed attitudes
or behaviors surrounding food.
It is hard to know
how many young children are developing these dangerous eating patterns.
However, we do know weight and body image are on the minds of our very
youngest children. Research studies have shown:
- 40-50% of girls
grades 1-5 are sometimes/often on diets or otherwise trying to lose
weight.
- 24% of elementary
aged girls sometimes or frequently skip meals to lose weight.
Why
is disordered eating a concern?
Eating problems have a big impact on children
and adolescents. Disordered eating may interrupt normal growth and maturation.
If severe, it could compromise height as well as decrease bone density.
Puberty may be impacted and girls may start their periods later. Children
who diet may react like some adult dieters by being over sensitive, irritable,
tired, and less focused. And disordered eating may be an early sign of
psychological or emotional problems, including the onset of a full-blown
eating disorder.
Tips for Parents
Parents need to be positive role models.
Children between the ages of 8 to 11 still mimic parental attitudes and
behaviors surrounding food, physical activity and body image.
Nourishment
for Physical Health - Nutrition
A well-nourished child feels good, thinks
clearly, and has plenty of energy.
- All foods fit in a healthy diet.
Avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” Try not to make children feel
guilty about eating certain foods.
- Dispel food myths. Eating fat will
not make you fat. Fat is necessary for brain function and as a carrier
for important vitamins.
- Eat the appropriate number of servings
and serving sizes from all the food groups.
This helps assure adequate nutrition for growth and development.
- Eat together as a family as often
as possible, preferably at home. Children who eat the most meals
with their family have been shown to eat more healthfully and do better
in school. More shared meals also gives parents an opportunity to notice
any troublesome eating behaviors in their child.
- Let children help prepare meals and
snacks. It’s likely to foster more positive attitudes about food
and eating.
Nourishment
for Physical Health - Activity
Children need to be
physically active. Age-appropriate physical activity helps strengthen
muscles, bone, motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It can also build
self-esteem. It is important to maintain a balanced perspective as physical
activity can be taken to excess and become potentially harmful.
- Advocate an active lifestyle for the
entire family. Most children should be active for 30-60 minutes
a day, which may be accumulated throughout the day. Exercising together
as a family is a good way to establish healthy activity habits for everyone.
- Encourage activities that are fun,
and age-appropriate for your child’s interests and abilities. Children
should not engage in athletic endeavors beyond their abilities or physical
development.
- Discourage overemphasis on extreme
physical fitness, athleticism, participation in highly competitive
sports or excessive amounts of exercise (several hours each day).
Nourishment for Emotional
Well-being
Never underestimate the influence
your attitudes and behaviors surrounding eating, activity and acceptance
of body shapes and sizes have on your child.
- Do not talk about being too fat,
weighing too much, or needing to diet. You could unwittingly contribute
to your child’s negative body image.
- Discuss the media’s distortion of an
“ideal” figure or body shape with your child. Pencil-thin models
and actresses are not the norm. Parents must help dispel the notion
that being thin means being popular and happy.
- Reinforce that there is no “ideal”
body. Each child is unique and develops at his or her own pace.
Gaining weight is normal and necessary to prepare bodies for puberty.
- Emphasize the functional rather than
the physical aspects of the body, such as strength, ability to perform
tasks, and having energy throughout the day for the activities they
enjoy.
A greater awareness
of disordered eating allows you to work to help resolve the issues, attitudes
and behaviors that contribute to it.
For more help
If problems escalate, consult your physician or a registered dietitian.
For more information download our two-page
handout, A Parent's Guide for Children
with Disordered Eating.
Return
to Newsletters
|