Eating Disorders 101: An Introduction

Research reports that two out of four young				have the bones of an 80 year old woman. The
people have unhealthy ideas about eating, dieting				condition is not reversible. Ultimately,
and weight. With the alarming increase of eating				approximately, 6% of people with anorexia and
disorders, dieting, and obesity among children as				1% with bulimia will die from their eating disorder.
young as 5 and 6, it's crucial these days for				According to Remuda Ranch, an inpatient eating
parents to proactively work to promote healthy				disorder treatment center in Arizona, estimates
eating and body image in their children.				indicate that 1/3 of American women and 15% of
It has been found that in households where mom				men will have an eating disorder or related
talks about feeling fat, 81% of their teenage				problem at some time in their lives. Fifty years
daughters said they felt fat too. Our girls,				ago, eating disorders were practically unheard of.
especially, are being easily confused and influenced				Research suggest a strong genetic component to
when it comes to body image development. In a				eating disorders. People who are prone to
culture where young people are bombarded with				perfectionism and low self-esteem may be most
skinny, glossy, and superficial images, parents can				at risk.
be a mirror reflecting understanding, reassurance,				In today’s world, the cultural pressures for
wisdom, and love that their children can look into				young people to obtain and maintain super-thin
with faith and not fear. Many factors influence				bodies are extreme. In this environment, thinness
whether an adolescent will develop a positive or				readily becomes a way of dealing with many
negative body image. As a parent, you can learn				emotional issues. However, outcome studies have
to be supportive the next time your child says,				shown there is much hope for people with eating
“Mom, I feel fat or Mom, I hate my				disorders. The good news is that approximately
life,” and be ready with an answer by				75% of patients with eating disorders do recover.
saying, “that sounds like an important				How Can Parents Prevent Disordered Eating?
feeling, tell me more.”				Parents can do much to spare their children a
The Slenderizing Beauty Ideal				life-long struggle with eating and weight. One of
Everyday 56% of the women in the United				the most important ways is to examine their own
States are on diets. We have a				beliefs and prejudices as a parent about weight
30-billion-dollar-a-year diet industry. The historical				and appearance. Parents should communicate
view of the ideal female body has changed over				acceptance and respect for themselves and other
the years and influenced this dieting America.				people regardless of weight. This will reduce some
Although many factors contribute to the changing				of the pressure children may feel to change their
body shape of girls, including better nutrition,				bodies. Especially, discourage the idea that a
earlier onset of puberty and other societal				particular diet or body size can reliably lead to
influences. The fact remains that regardless of				happiness. Do not model or encourage dieting.
the reason, the common trend over time points				Accept and talk about the fact that diets
to a slenderizing standard of the female ideal.				don’t work and the dangers of altering
With standards like this, it is no wonder that				one’s body through dieting.
children are dissatisfied with their bodies.				Tips For Healthy Eating
When it came to looks – teens are most				In our diet crazed culture, what really is healthy
concerned about weight. A Teen People survey				eating? Here are a few tips that will go a long
of 1000 teens, showed that 39% worried about				way in feeding your family a balanced mealtime
weight. Between 2000 and 2001, cosmetic				experience. For starters, teach your children to
surgery on girls 18 and younger had increased by				listen to their body -- eat when you’re
22%.				hungry, stop when you’re full. Remember
Another study reported that after girls viewed				balance means that most of the time you eat
pictures of models in fashion magazines:				because you are hungry and use food as fuel for
69% reported that magazine pictures influenced				your body. But, it also means that sometimes you
their idea of the perfect body shape and				eat simply when the food appeals to you or when
47% reported wanting to lose weight because of				it is appropriate in a social setting (e.g., popcorn at
magazine pictures.				the movies), allowing yourself to eat for
This study found that those who were frequent				enjoyment.
readers of fashion magazines were 2-3 times				Try to eat different foods everyday, in other
more likely than infrequent readers to start dieting				words, create an adventure for your taste buds.
to lose weight because of a magazine article.				Aim to inspire your family to eat 3 meals and 1 to
What Are Eating Disorders?				3 snacks a day. The idea that snacking between
Is it any wonder, then, that eating disorders				meals is bad is a thing of the past. By teaching
affect 7 million women and 1 million men in the				your kids to eat every 2 to 4 hours, they will
United States? Eating disorders include anorexia,				prevent their body from getting overly hungry
bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. People				which could set them up to overeat later. Plus,
with anorexia starve themselves to dangerously				the body uses the fuel from food very efficiently
thin levels, at least 15% below their appropriate				when smaller amounts of food is eaten more
weight. People with bulimia binge uncontrollably on				frequently throughout the day.
large amounts of food--sometimes thousands of				The bottom line: eat normally, exercise
calories at a time--and then purge the calories out				moderately, and let your body weigh what it
of their bodies through vomiting, starving,				wants. Yes, it will take courage and perseverance,
excessive exercise, laxatives, or other methods.				but the rewards of knowing you are teaching
People with binge-eating disorder eat				your family how to eat for pleasure is a true
uncontrollably, but they do not purge the calories.				legacy to leave.
Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (or				Resources
EDNOS) is a new classification of disordered eating				BOOKS
that falls between anorexia, binge eating and				DeVillera, Julia. GirlWise. Roseville, California: Prima
bulimia. Unfortunately, since this type of 'sub-clinical'				Publishing; 2002.
disorder is often not life-threatening, there				Gaesser, Glenn. Big Fat Lies: The Truth about
appears to be little research available on the topic.				Your Weight and Your Health. New York:
One of the goals at FINDINGbalance.com, the first				Ballantine; 1996.
national organization dedicated to helping those				Hersh. Sharon A. “Mom, I feel fat!”
who struggle with ENDOS, is to begin collecting				Colorado Springs, Colorado: WaterBrook Press;
new information through input from their website				2001.
visitors and other existing sources. Visit the				Hutchinson, Marcia. 200 Ways to Love the Body
website to take the “Weird Eater”				You Have. CA: Crossing Press; 1999.
quiz and take a closer look at how dieting habits				Jacobs-Brumberg, Joan. The Body Project: An
can lead to disordered eating.				Intimate History of American Girls. NewYork:
Anorexia Warning Signs for Adolescents &				Random House; 1997.
Adults:				Jantz, Gregory L. Hope, Help & Healing for
• Loss of menstrual period				Eating Disorders. Colorado Springs, Colorado:
• Dieting obsessively when not overweight				Waterbrook Press; 2002.
• Claiming to feel "fat" when overweight is				Omichinski, Linda. Staying off the Diet Roller
not a reality				Coaster: Advicezone.com; 2000.
• Preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition,				Rhodes, Constance. Life Inside the Thin Cage.
and/or cooking				Colorado Springs. Colorado: Waterbrook Press;
• Denial of hunger				2003.
• Excessive exercising, being overly active				Quart, Alissa. Branded: The Buying and Selling of
• Frequent weighing				Teenagers. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Perseus
• Strange food-related behaviors				Books Group; 2003.
• Episodes of binge-eating				Tribole, Evelyn. Intuitive Eating: A Recovery Book
• 15% or more below normal body weight				for the Chronic Dieter. New York: St. Martin's
rapid weight loss				Press; 1995.
• Depression				WEBSITES AND PROGRAMS
• Slowness of thought/memory difficulties				HUGS
• Hair loss				HUGS for Better Health website features
* In children any combination of these symptoms				resources on how to build a non-diet lifestyle.
should be considered serious and an immediate				F.I.T Decisions
evaluation by an eating disorder professional or				F.I.T (Future Identity of Teens) is a weekend
physician is recommended.				conference for teenage girls to teach teens how
Source:				to live healthful, balanced lives. Nationally-known
Bulimia Warning Signs:				speakers, drama skits, fashion shows, kick boxing,
• Excessive concern about weight				snacks, and give-aways are part of the all day
• Strict dieting followed by eating binges				workshop. [
• Frequent overeating, especially when				[
distressed				The US Department of Health and Human
• Bingeing on high calorie, sweet foods				Services has sponsored, Girl Power!, a national
• Use of laxatives, diuretics, strict dieting,				public education campaign sponsored designed to
vigorous exercise, and/or vomiting to control				provide positive messages, accurate health
weight				information, and support for 9- to 13-year-old girls.
• Leaving for the bathroom after meals				The website includes statistics, research, materials
• Being secretive about binges or vomiting				and information for both adolescents and adults. A
• Planning binges or opportunities to binge				free Girl Power! Kit can be ordered via the
• Feeling out of control				website.
• Depressive moods				[
Source:				This site, the National Women’s Health
EDNOS Warning Signs:				Information Center, is a project of the US
• You're always on a diet, always coming				Department of Health and Human Services, Office
off a diet, or always getting ready to go on one				on Women’s Health. Navigate to
again (chronic dieting).				“Body Image” section of the website
• You categorize foods as 'safe' and 'off				and you will find the “Body Wise”
limits', but weigh within normal ranges and are not				handbook and additional information, educational
participating in bulimia.				material and additional resources for parents and a
• You eliminate entire food groups from				variety of professions. D. Burgard, PhD
your diet.				Videos and workshops that teach young people
• You are obsessed with exercising but eat				how to develop a positive body image and have a
fairly regularly.				healthy relationship with food. A new video (2002)
• You binge and/or purge occasionally, but				Body Talk 2: It's a New Language, is targeted at
not more than a few times a month.				tweens (ages 8-11).
• You skip social occasions because you				Gurze Books which include tapes and resources
feel fat, or because you are afraid of what's				on disordered eating and related topics on body
being served, yet your weight is normal.				image and obesity.
• You believe that everyone is as focused				The Healthy Weight Network features a journal
on your weight as you are.				and Francis Berg's books, Children and Teens
• You refuse to eat regular meals, choosing				Afraid to Eat and other practical resources for
instead to 'nibble' throughout the day on small				educators and health professionals.
portions of food (which usually leads to bingeing).				The Victorian Department of Human Services
Source:				website has many resources including a summary
How Common Are Eating Disorders?				of body image programs as well as a review of
Eating disorders are serious illnesses. The				the research evaluating these programs. In
malnourishment of both anorexia and bulimia				addition, you will find a free Resource Planning Kit:
affects the body rapidly and can lead to				“Shape: Body Image Program Planning
hypoglycemia, pancreatitis, enlargement of the				Guide”.
heart, heart attacks, congestive heart failure,				Provides many programs, books and materials
permanent brain shrinkage with loss of memory				and references (two items offered are listed
and IQ, infertility, and osteoporosis. It is not				below).
uncommon for a teenage girl with anorexia to

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Eating Disorders 101: An Introduction

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