In a Feb. 5, 2009, Calgary Herald article, reporter Michelle Magnan recounted conversations with five teens about pressures related to body image. As this excerpt indicates, the teens identified family pressures as among the more prevalent and destructive stresses they face:

• Lisa: With my friend, her mom really gets her down. She'll say, "What do you want for your birthday? Maybe we should get you a gym membership." I'm seriously surprised she hasn't had an eating disorder yet, because her mom puts so much pressure on her. And the more I talk about it, I know that a lot of people's moms say, "You should look a certain way," and they don't.

• Candace: I get it a lot from my mom all the time, like, "You should do this, you should go to the gym."And I say, "You know what? It's not my thing."And a lot of peers at school are really bad. They don't necessarily come out and say anything, but you can tell just by the way they look at you--the up and down glances.

• Alison: My mom goes between. She doesn't want to overdo anything, so she'll say, "Are you going to eat all that ice cream?" But then she'll say, "You didn't have a snack today. Why didn't you have a snack?" So it's walking a very fine line. Parents have a really hard time, I'm sure.

Many teenagers feel most pressured from family members to have a certain body shape. According to the teens who were interviewed by Magnan, family pressure outweighed any pressure they felt from seeing unrealistic images in the media and fashion industry.

Labels: body image, parents, pressures

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The story is ironic, sad and true: A writer who worked as a food critic had a daughter who struggled with anorexia. While Sheila Himmel was judging Americas favorite and finest foods, her daughter Lisa was home starving herself.

California's Mountain View Voice recently reviewed the book that the mother and daughter wrote to chronicle their battle against anorexia:

[Sheila and Lisa] tell their story in a new book, Hungry: A Mother and Daughter Fight Anorexia, which they co-authored&. Hungry is not just another book about anorexia, of which there are many. It is also a portrait of how a confluence of societal and social pressures wreaked havoc on the Himmel family. As Sheila highlights in the book, their situation was fraught with a terrible irony.

Though writing the book was hard and painful, both mother and daughter told The Voice that they are glad they did it. Hungry underscores the obsession most Americans have with food and body image. It also tells a story of successful recovery  a story that many still struggling with eating disorders need to hear.

Labels: anorexia, daughters, parents, mothers

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A growing number of experts believe that parental involvement improves a teenager's ability to recover from an eating disorder. This philosophy represents a dramatic change from previous prevailing attitudes about teens and eating disorders.

The thinking about the causes of eating disorders and their treatment has come full circle, [Dr. Ovidio] Bermudez said. Many years ago, experts blamed eating disorders on controlling mothers and distant fathers, among other theories. But today they generally concur that the disorders are not due to those factors. (Source: KTVN News, Nevada)

A recent study involving 80 teens with bulimia found that recovery rates were twice as high among those who had family support. Other studies have found recovery rates as high as 75 in teenagers whose family supported them through their struggle with anorexia.

Labels: support, parents, teens

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Young people who are exposed to a wide variety of media may be at increased risk for health issues such as eating disorders, drug use, and early sexual activity.

On average, American children and teens spend more than six hours a day with media such as TV, computers, Internet, video games and VCR or DVD players -- more time than they spend per day receiving formal classroom instruction, says Dr. Victor C. Strasburger of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque. (Source: HealthDay News)

Dr. Strasburger urged parents to monitor their kids' access to media, and to supervise both what and how much they view. Computers, television sets, video games, and Internet connections should not be allowed in kids' bedrooms, he said, and children's access to electronic entertainment should be limited to two hours per day.

Labels: media_influences, children, parents

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As the prevalence of eating disorders rises among even very young girls, parents sometimes feel helpless, fearing there is nothing they can do. And while eating disorders are triggered by a combination of things, there are steps parents can take to protect their children:

Throw out your scale and stop weighing yourself. Your child sees everything you do and seeing you weigh yourself has a significant impact on her perception of weight and body& Talk about foods with regard to how they can nourish her body, rather than their effects on her weight. Focus on health, not on calories, fats, or carbohydrates.(Source: PRWeb)

Remember to encourage physical activity for the sake of health, not weight control. The more a parent puts a positive focus on physical health, the less likely a child will be to risk that health.

Labels: eating disorders, children, parents, prevention

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Though winter weather retains a hold on much of the nation, the day will soon come when sweaters and coats are exchanged for tank tops and shorts. Spring and summer can be times of anxiety for young people who are inundated with messages about body size and beauty.

"The single most important way parents can help their children develop a healthy body image is to lead by example... Children who hear their parents criticize themselves for being too fat will be more likely to think poorly of their own bodies."

Experts advise sharing healthy activities with your child, such as cooking nutritious meals or engaging in playful physical activity (for example, games of hide-and-seek or catch). Source: KRISTV.com (Corpus Christi, TX)

Labels: anxiety, self-esteem, parents

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A concerned parent recently wrote in to an online food magazine for advice about her teenage daughter. The daughter seems to have gotten overly concerned about the food she's eating and watches her food intake "very closely," the mother reported. Mom doesn't know what to do, and is looking for some help.

"The first thing you should do is sit down and talk with your daughter. In any intervention regarding an eating disorder, it's important to communicate with the individual you're concerned about... It's important for anyone intervening to remember that these are often delicate situations, and simply sitting down with the individual and expressing concerns and asking questions in a non-judgmental manner is a critical step forward."

The first conversation is important, but follow-up conversations are just as important. Make it known that you will help the person find a counselor or recovery program that will help them overcome their disorder. Source: Culinate.com

Labels: parents, prevention, communication

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Preschool children can learn to eat healthy foods, especially if their parents become good role models for eating correctly, according to a new study from Washington University in St. Louis.

Professor Debra Haire-Joshu divided parents and preschoolers into two groups. In the first group, children learned songs and games that promoted healthy eating. The second group received educational materials aimed at parents.

Parents in the second group changed their own eating habits to include more fruits and vegetables, which in turn influenced their children to do the same. However, overweight children in the study did not learn to eat in a more healthy way, even if their parents participated.

"Overweight children have already been exposed to salty sweet foods and learned to like them," said Dr. Debra Haire-Joshu, author of the study.

This study appears in Preventive Medicine.

Labels: parents, influences, healthy_eating

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Author Marcia Herrin has released the second edition of her Parent's Guide to Eating Disorders. In it, she calls on her experience as an eating disorder survivor, a registered dietician, and a mother to advise and guide other parents whose children are struggling with eating disorders.

"The book focuses on using the Maudsley approach as an essential resource and on what parents may be able to do at home, with or without the use of a Maudsley-trained professional, to treat their child who has eating issues or an eating disorder."

The book includes step-by-step instructions for the Maudsley approach, a relatively new treatment that centers around family therapy and greater involvement by the parents in their child's treatment and recovery. Source: NursingCenter.com

Labels: treatment, support, parents

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A study out of Stockholm, Sweden, has found that new moms with histories of eating disorders had a much harder time adjusting to motherhood than did those with no history of eating disorders.

"Women with eating disorders were more likely to worry they may not be a good mother; did not feel proud of being a mother; and felt they no longer had enough time for themselves. The researchers also found this group much less likely to enjoy feeding and caring for their babies, and more likely to worry their child would turn out unhealthy or not normal."

Researchers compared levels of adjustment between 67 first-time moms without eating disorder histories and 44 first-time moms with histories of either anorexia or bulimia. Only 13 percent of the non-eating-disorder group struggled to adjust to motherhood, compared with 92 percent of those with histories of disordered eating. Source: Reuters

Labels: self-esteem, parents, mothers

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A recent study in Ireland found that teenage girls who are concerned about their weight are more likely to resort to bulimia than dieting and exercise to shed some extra pounds. The survey of 3,000 Irish teenage girls also found that 11% of them exhibited signs of eating disorders.

"Apart from eating concerns, those suffering from eating disorders are also shown to be significantly more affected by lower quality of life. They also tend to consider themselves not as popular as their peers, do not [do] as well academically and rate their mood to be less good than their peers."

Teens that had a poor body image were likely to have parents with body image issues as well. Source: RTE News

Labels: signs_of_eating_disorders, parents, predictors

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Transitioning from early childhood to adolescence is tough for boys and girls. The dramatic physical changes teens undergo can affect their body image and self-esteem.

"During puberty adolescents gain weight, the proportions of their bodies shift, muscle mass is gained and secondary sex characteristics, like body hair, emerge. Often this shift in physicality translates to disappointment as the boy who was once comparable in height with his peers, now feels tall and gangly and the girl whose body has matured quickly thinks she is fat and bloated."

Parents need to be aware of this potential shift in body image, especially since media and advertising are so saturated with physical images that are unrealistic and unobtainable. Keep the lines of communication open with your child. Help him process his emotional reaction to his physical changes. Reinforce her value as a person, independent of her size or shape. Source: BellaOnline

Labels: parents, body_image, puberty

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A young woman writes in to an advice columnist looking for help in dealing with her parents. For years, she struggled with bulimia and now - thanks in part to counseling and antidepressants - she's healthy, has good relationships, and is genuinely excited about her life. But mom isn't supportive. How hard should this young woman try to win over her mom?

"Ask your counselor if it would be a good idea to bring your mother to a session. It might help her accept your choices if she hears from a professional."

The advice columnist goes on to say that if mom is still unsupportive, the girl needs to put her own health before her mom's approval. Source: SunHerald.com.

Labels: support, therapy, parents

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Nancy Clarkson's daughter was diagnosed with anorexia when she was just 14-years-old. Nancy remembers how helpless she felt, and how uncertain she was about where to go for help.

"...although her daughter appears to be in 'the home stretch', Clarkson said she feels compelled to reach out to other local parents whose children may be at the very beginning of their struggles. If they are anything like she was, they are probably at a loss as to where to get help for their kids, Clarkson said."

She intends to start a support group in the San Ramon Valley of California, and hopes the group will provide much-need guidance and emotional support for families affected by eating disorders.

Camp Huntington is a special needs summer camp in New York. Visit www.camphuntington.com to learn more about their camps for disabled children.

Labels: awareness, support, parents

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The messages given by parents and peers are strong influencers in a young girl's self-image. Over the years, studies have found that, while the media does exert influence, the opinions of parents and other adolescents also affect a girl's opinion of her appearance.

"Pike & Rodin (1991) found that mothers whose daughters were eating disordered were themselves more eating disorders, and thought that their daughters should lose more weight than the mothers of non-eating disordered girls."

Family support of weight acceptance and appearance has been reported as an important factor in a girl's overall self-acceptance and self-esteem.

Read more at About-Face.org.

Labels: media_influences, self-image_issues, parents

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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: support, children, parents

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Rina Ranalli’s daughter has anorexia. When researching their options, she and her husband decided on a different form of treatment for their daughter. Rather than sending her to a therapist, they started treating her at home.

[The] Ranalli family was using the little-known Maudsley Approach, a grueling but evidence-based treatment for adolescents suffering from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. The approach, also called ‘family-based therapy,’ flips conventional treatment on its head… parents immediately start the daunting task of ‘re-feeding’ their malnourished child.

Once weight is restored – and, theoretically, rational thinking returns because the brain has some nourishment – parents step back, and control over eating is gradually returned to the child. [Source: St. Louis Tribune]

Opponents of this approach say it ignores the psychological issues that often accompany eating disorders. Still, clinical trials have found the approach effective, which gives both parents and patients some much-needed hope.

 

Labels: anorexia, parents

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Pop culture makes a strong connection between appearance and value. If you’re attractive, you’re valuable. If you’re unattractive, you’re not. Pop culture also sets very clear (and often unattainable) rules about what “attractive” is.

In a July 7 article in the Traverse City (MI) Record-Eagle, Wanda Repke advised parents to take steps to lessen the impact of these unrealisitic cultural value judgments on their children's health and self-image:

"While it's fashionable to blame the media for these self-defeating attitudes, parents often contribute as well. When was the last time you said something positive or negative about your own body? Have you said something negative a lot more recently than you said something positive? ...

To begin to change your family's body image, start with yourself. Focus on what your body does well, not where it is deficient. Instead of always saying bad things about your body, make positive statements such as, "my body feels great after taking a walk" or "my skin looks so much better when I get enough sleep."
 

 

Labels: self-esteem, self-image_issues, parents

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment

Effective parents are dedicated to avoiding the comments and actions that can “trigger” body image issues and eating disorders in their children. They don’t talk about their own weight. They don’t “diet”, they “stay healthy”, and they set realistic expectations for themselves and others. But it isn’t always enough.

Even avoiding all the traps does not erase the possibility of an eating disorder … The best way to protect your child is to be alert for telltale behavior and move quickly when it’s spotted. Daniel Le Grange, director of the Eating Disorders program at the University of Chicago Medical Center, urges parents to follow their gut instincts. - Source: U.S. News & World Report

In his experience, parents often overlook the signs of an eating disorder, even when they feel like something is wrong. Most of the time, he says, parents are “spot on” in thinking something isn’t right with their kids. Le Grange encourages parents to act on those instincts and get their kids evaluated by a doctor.

Labels: parents, prevention

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 2 Comments