Prescriptions
Teach kids that dieting isn't a cure-all
By Amy Tousman
A few nights ago, my 5-year-old daughter asked me if she was going to be fat when she grows up. I was surprised by the question and wondered what made someone so young think about such things. Childhood should be a time for playing games and having fun, not for worrying about weight.
It is alarming that children, especially girls, are becoming obsessed with their weight at increasingly younger ages. An article in the February 2001 issue of "Healthy Kids" magazine stated that more than 40 percent of 6- to 8-year-old girls want to be thinner and that 81 percent of 10 year olds are afraid of "getting fat."
These statistics seemed all too real to me when I was watching a recent television talk show discussion on eating disorders. The guests included an 8-year-old girl and her mother. The child started trying to lose weight at age 5. She ate paper (when no one was looking) so she would be too full to eat much food. This made her extremely thin. It turned out this behavior was because of her mom's frequent dieting and constant talk about fat in foods. Luckily with intensive family counseling, the girl is recovering from her eating disorder.
In addition to parental attitudes about weight, the media influences young girls desires to be thin. They watch teen stars such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera on television and may feel that this is how all girls should look. Movies, music videos and magazines with thin supermodels give girls the message, "thin is beautiful."
There are several things that parents can do to instill a healthy body image in our children and prevent them from suffering from eating disorders later:
- Teach our children that people come in all shapes and sizes.
- Educate our daughters as to why dieting is inappropriate for children.
- Emphasize that eating a variety of foods and gaining weight during childhood is necessary for proper development. Losing weight could hinder growth.
- Encourage children to eat foods that make them strong and healthy.
- Identify unhealthy or unrealistic body images that we are bombarded with in the media.
Steering children toward healthy role models is helpful. For example, explaining how eating healthy, balanced meals keeps athletes strong and fit. Olympic swimmers eat and drink lots of foods like grains, milk, fruits, vegetables and lean meats to give them energy for their races. Dieting would take away their strength and harm their performance.
It is equally important to be a good role model yourself. In fact, it's crucial to keep sending your children positive messages about health and their bodies. If you say things such as, "I might as well apply this pie directly to my hips," your children may view food as a substance that makes them fat, not as a source of energy and pleasure. Instead, explain that although cakes and pies should not be eaten every day, it is OK to enjoy them occasionally.
If despite your efforts to put the role of food and weight in their proper place, your child seems obsessed about food and weight, she may have an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa, the most common eating disorder in teens, is characterized by excessive weight loss, an intense fear of being overweight, and very small food intake. Another common eating disorder is bulimia, which is characterized by binging on many high-calorie foods and then vomiting to stop the foods from causing weight gain.
If you suspect your child has an eating disorder, speak with your pediatrician. They can refer you to a program that specializes in treatment of eating disorders. Treatment usually involves a physician, psychologist and dietitian.
Most important, keep reminding your children that you will love them no matter what size their bodies are. They need to know that they are more important than their weight. Accept your children for what they are. Focusing on your child's positive attributes and giving them unconditional love will go a long way in preventing eating disorders.
Where to get help for eating disorders:
- Kapi'olani Counseling Center: 983-8368
- Kahi Mohala Behavioral Healthcare: 761-8511
Amy Tousman is a registered dietitian at Straub Clinic & Hospital Inc. and a member of the Hawai'i Dietetic Association.
Hawai'i experts in traditional medicine, naturopathic medicine and diet take turns writing the Prescriptions column. Write: Prescriptions, 'Ohana Section, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; e-mail ohana@honoluluadvertiser.com; fax 535-8170. This column is not intended to provide medical advice; consult your doctor.
