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Turn on the television or open a magazine and images of young, and super-thin
stars are everywhere. It sends a message that "thin is good." Experts
say this message has permeated our culture, prompting an increase in new cases
of anorexia nervosa and bulimia in adolescents. Ellen Rome, M.D., head of
adolescent medicine at The Children’s Hospital at The Cleveland Clinic offers
advice on how to detect this problem in your child and what parents can do to
help stem the barrage of "thin is in" messages.
Has there been an increase in eating disorders among teens?
It's hard to say if there's been an increase or if we are just getting better
at recognizing eating disorders. It is not uncommon to see 8 to 12 year-old
girls with eating disorders – we are seeing them younger and younger, even in
5 and 6 year-old children. What children observe in society and in their
families has a powerful effect on their self-image. If dad is watching his
cholesterol or mom is constantly on a diet and worried about how she looks, the
message is fat is bad. Kids incorporate these messages at very young ages.
Another key factor is that families seldom sit down to eat a meal together.
Everyone is running and going somewhere. So, it becomes the norm for kids to do
the same thing. When research is conducted on what contributes to eating
disorders, a recurrent finding is frantic, hurried family lifestyles.
At what age does this problem peak?
Often at age 13 or 14 and then again at age 17 or 18. At age 13, girls are at
early puberty, and their bodies are like Alice in Wonderland -- everything is
either too big or too small. Their question is: 'Am I normal?' At age 17 or 18
there's a lot of change coming -- such as seniors heading off to college. Making
the transition from home to college can be a frightening. There is a tendency to
want things to stay the same.
How can parents spot a problem?
If there is even a minor concern that your child or adolescent has an eating
disorder, pay extra attention and watch for these warning signs:
- Suddenly cutting out whole food groups; becoming a vegetarian, for example.
- Spending an inordinate amount of time or energy on food and body image
- Loss of menstrual periods
- Drop in clothing sizes
If you suspect your child has an eating disorder, don’t waste time in
having her seen by a pediatrician who has special expertise in this problem.
What are some of the contributing factors to the overall problem?
Celebrities who are anorexic or border on anorexia and are successful serve
as role models for teens, making it okay to be too thin. The new pro-anorexia
Web sites are also effective in enticing young people to starve themselves to be
thin. People don't realize that the use of drugs and diet pills to lose weight
could lead to heart and kidney problems -- it could kill you. I tell kids to
walk around the mall and look at people -- to see what they are wearing, what do
they look like? They see that people who are looking happy come in all shapes
and sizes. Really thin people don't always look so happy. You can effectively
deconstruct the media message and figure out what’s reality. I ask kids to try
and figure out what the healthy message is here? What's the hidden message? What
are the messages we are missing?
What else can parents do to help?
Model healthy eating habits. Have your kids help you prepare dinner once a
week or more. Ask them to select a balanced menu that includes the basic food
groups. Then sit down and eat together. Parents, particularly mothers, should
try not to send the message that life would be so much better if you could only
lose if you could lose weight. The bottom line: Be present and available to your
children.
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