A father's attitudes and comments are important factors in whether his daughter will develop bulimia and other eating disorders, a new study by Stanford University shows.

If a father is overly critical of his little girl's weight or if he himself is trying to lose weight, his daughter is more likely to develop an eating disorder in adolescence. The research also indicated that both parents could raise their daughter's risk by being overly controlling about what she eats, putting pressure on her to be thin, and placing too much emphasis on weight control.

A research team led by Dr. W. Stewart Agras followed 134 boys and girls from birth to age 11. Parents filled out annual questionnaires about their children's eating habits and weights.

One key finding was that concerns about being thin could start as early as third grade. This study appeared in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Labels: children, parents, support