Weighing the choices for a healthier development

Appearance can be a dominating preoccupation to many. The trendy choices in clothes (especially smaller sizes), the exaggerated promotion of a thinner body and general attractiveness has been gaining yearly momentum as we witness the positive attention given to those who model that waif look in movies and magazines. It is completely acceptable to try to look as good as you can, but when an obsession intervenes, it is time to evaluate the gravity of the situation.

Raising a pre-teen or teenage daughter or son in today’s society is not an easy endeavour and can cause any parent a major amount of stress. There are multitudes of concerns such as dating, drugs, alcohol, grades, sex and those are only a few overwhelming subjects. But there is one area of child rearing not receiving adequate attention and may tend to be overlooked until it develops into an extreme eating disorder. Awareness that something is not functioning well in a child’s life is a parent's responsibility and they are the ones who must ensure that their children develop a strong sense of self-esteem.

If a parent doesn’t feel positive about his or her self-image, how can he or she expect their child to? In addition, unconsciously conveying any negative ideas, although they may be totally innocent, are detrimental for children to hear. Parents who maintain healthy body attitudes, who model healthy eating behaviours, who provide nutritious food for their family and dine together as well, virtually immunize their child from eating problems. Therefore family dynamics, family role models and history are influential towards healthy ways to relating towards food. It is most essential for everyone to realize that “eating disorders are much easier to prevent than cure.”

Disordered eating statistics are frightening concerning young girls and it is alarming that many are in trouble from the age of five years old. Research has also shown that approximately 70 percent of sixth graders surveyed actually begin worrying about their weight around ages nine to 11. One of the major reasons for this is due to the fact that they have parents who are preoccupied with their own poor body images. If we, as mothers reflect, we may recall instances when we may have innocently muttered, “I look so fat,” or “I’d better stop eating today.” Caution must be exercised as children are listening and are vulnerable to these comments. It may be totally unconscious, but we can be guilty in instigating the motivations towards eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or others. These problems are psychological conditions that are manifested in unwholesome eating habits, and they carry severe emotional and physical effects. Many children do not realize that what started casually, as a way to achieve a svelte body, could become a damaging uncontrollable way of life. These disorders impair the body’s normal functioning, causing long-term health concerns and significantly impact the social and emotional well being of an individual.

In addition, many other factors play significantly into an eating disorder including a family’s history or situation, genetics, and cultural standards. However, people with a past of depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive behaviours are often at a higher risk. But of course one of the most common reasons for an eating disorder is a lowered self-esteem that could result from inappropriate parenting, or through physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

Although public awareness has increased in reference to these “eating disorders,” there continues to be more cases each year. Anorexia nervosa (the hunger disease) and bulimia nervosa (the binge and purge disease) are among the most widely known. Part of the worldwide acceptance as this being a genuine issue requiring acknowledgement has been due to the growing number of celebrities who have admitted to having these issues. Ironically, and unfortunately they are the same role models that young girls tend to emulate in the first place and who reinforced this thinness. So they are, in fact, the cause of the problem due to the destructive results that are portrayed from their negative public influences.



The dilemma in preventing eating disorders



The prevention of eating disorders has not been too successful as our society sanctions the particular behaviours associated with eating disorders such as restraint, dieting, and even some purging. Our emphasis on thinness instead of health is destructive for a growing youth along with some noted female intolerance of natural changes in a women’s body, which occur during menstruation. But the general consensus has been that eating disorders do result from low self-esteem. Although prevention is primary, the next step is how to help those children afflicted and in a serious health crisis.

Early detection is key, so be alert to any of behavioural, physical, social, psychological, and emotional signs and especially any significant weight loss in your child. For example watch for a preoccupation with body appearance, moodiness, reduced concentration, anxiety especially at meal times, guilt, dieting or overeating, obsessive rituals such as drinking from a certain cup, baggy clothing, frequent trips to the washroom, anti-social behaviour and other odd changes in conjunction with drastic physical ones.

It is a challenging problem and although there exists a number of creative efforts in Canada, more needs to be done. CLSC nurses affiliated with all schools are constantly on guard regarding teenage nutrition and when faced with a case, action is immediate. According to one nurse (name withheld due to confidentiality reasons) this delicate problem needs more recognition. “A student may come to me because she is experiencing physical symptoms as a result of the disease or someone may see me because they have friend who has an eating disorder. We try to organize an immediate assessment (blood tests, and general check-up) by a doctor and then we may try to implement a team at the Montreal Children’s Hospital using an outpatient team approach. There are places such as the Jewish General Hospital Adolescent Clinic and the Douglas Institute who are always ready to meet the needs except that there could be a wait. I try to gain the trust of the child first and then I encourage her to begin talking to her parents. Boys suffer from these disorders as well usually when trying to attain the bodies of a body builder and this also creates another type of diet issue.”

She also emphasized that the real disconcerting fact is that women constantly aspire and frequently try so desperately to achieve a model-thin image and although there has been more efforts in trying to change that, it still exists. “It is that constant dieting and weight instability that is so disturbing to the body. Many continually deprive themselves and starve so that they can have a trim body. This form of yo-yo dieting is more detrimental than anything.”

In our everyday existence, we must try to exercise and eat properly and remember that fluctuating weight plays havoc with our health. If a person is unaware about how to find assistance, there are websites, nutritionists and numerous books available. Life is about living in some form of balance, but many tend to live to the extreme neglecting moderation. But as parents, we must be responsible with what we do and say to our children, as we are, above all others, their greatest role models and teachers.

For more information about eating disorders clinics call the Jewish General Hospital Adolescence Clinic at 514-340-8242, the Montreal Children’s Hospital Eating Disorders Centre at 514-412-4481 or the Douglas Institute at 514-761-6131.