HEALTHY HABITS
MENTAL HEALTH
Thin Isn’t “In” rom “What I Ate Today” videos to ads for weight loss injections to rail-thin celebrities on red carpets, teens and tweens are Tips for talking to your child about body image and eating disorders
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at yourself, but if you’re in a family and you have kids, they’re watching what you’re doing and they’re picking up on that sort of talk and it becomes part of their nature as they get older.” Also, get a conversation started about health in general. Ask your child how they feel physically and what their energy level is like on a day-to-day basis. And watch out for signs that your child’s focus on looks is getting obsessive, though this may not always be easy to spot. The most obvious sign that a child’s body image is treading into dangerous waters is weight loss, though sometimes it can be hidden with baggy or layered clothing. Fatigue, irritability and spending less time with loved ones are also indicators that something’s amiss. However, this can be tough to distinguish from run-of-the-mill teenage moodiness. But behaviors that are out of character could be signs of a developing eating disorder. Also, watch out for new behaviors revolving around food, says Dr. Rhee. Is your child not eating with you anymore? Are they always going to the bathroom after they eat, or are they playing with food without actually eating much? A sudden interest in cooking and food may also be a red flag if they’re making excuses like, “I ate while I was cooking” or “I’m already full.” “It becomes an obsession,” says Dr. Rhee. “It’s hard to get these kids to recognize that you can be healthy at any size. It really depends on more than just what you look like on the outside. It’s what’s happening on the inside. And that’s harder to figure out.”
constantly exposed to messaging that imply thinness is a desirable—and attainable—
goal. The disconnect between the “ideal” look and reality can affect a child’s body image and self-esteem and may even lead to an eating disorder down the road. But there are things parents can do to nip this behavior in the bud and reframe the conversation, says Kyung “Kay” Rhee, MD, the medical director of Rady Children’s Medical Behavioral Unit, which treats children and teens with eating disorders, and interim chief of the division of adolescent and young adult medicine. “Kids are so impressionable, and it takes a conscious effort for parents to counteract those messages,” says Dr. Rhee. “Just because you’re skinny doesn’t mean you’re healthy.” Dr. Rhee recommends focusing behavior that doesn’t have to do with appearance. Highlight achievements like putting more effort into homework, keeping a clean room without being asked, helping out with a younger sibling or simply being a good person. Parents should hold themselves to the same standard, too and be mindful of diet and weight loss talk. “When parents are talking about themselves, they don’t always realize how much modeling is happening,” she says. “If you’re always self-deprecating and saying things like, ‘I look terrible today,’ or ‘I need to lose five pounds before the weekend,’ you may think it’s directed
12 HEALTHY KIDS MAGAZINE SUMMER 2023
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