Rexanne Mancini, freelance writer and mother of two, says that she's concerned about the number of pre-teen girls she knows who think they're fat or need to be on a diet. Oftentimes, this mindset comes from mom and or dad telling a child as young as 8 that she's overweight.

"Eating disorders are almost as common as acne in teenagers today. These can create many health problems, not the least of which is potential death. Try telling a 15-year old girl that she's not fat after her mother or both parents have been urging her to diet from the time she was old enough to dress herself."

Mancini reminds parents that pre-teen girls may be short and plump, because they haven’t had any growth spurts yet - which is perfectly normal. She also reminds parents that attitudes about food, dieting and body image are learned when children are very young, and will be with them for the rest of their lives. Read more at ParentingIdeas.org.

Labels: causes of eating disorders, dieting, pre-teens