Local health care providers concerned about back-to-school eating disorders
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Some local healthcare providers are warning about a concerning summer trend they're seeing. Young kids are wanting to "get in shape" before going back to school. If it sounds a lot like how many of us talk about getting in shape for summer, that's no coincidence.
"As a society I think it's very normal for us to make comments about our own bodies, about other people's bodies, you know, even like celebrity bodies," said Dr. Jasmine Ghannadpour, a pediatric psychologist at Children's Health.
She says she's seeing more kids dealing with eating disorders in her practice, and it's something that typically gets worse during the warmer months when parents start talking about getting a summer body.
"For somebody who might be struggling with their body image already, hearing some of that conversation on top of it can trigger some concerning behaviors," Dr. Ghannadpour continued.
The Renfrew Center, which specializes in treatment of eating disorders, lays out things that you may do or say that can affect your kids. Some of them, you probably wouldn't even think twice about.
- Complimenting someone when they lose weight
- Talking about measurements, weight or clothing sizes
- Thinking of food as "good" or "bad"
- Criticizing your own eating or your own body
- Saying someone is "healthy" or "well" because they are thin
It could happen to anyone
Dr. Ghannadpour told CBS News Texas that eating disorders can affect kids of any background, gender or age.
"We see kids as young as five," she said. "It's really disheartening to think that even at this young of age there's pressure to look a certain way.
So at what point does the behavior go from being typical—especially for a teenager who's concerned about their appearance—to something more problematic and dangerous?
"I would say, when you notice that your child is isolating a lot," Dr. Ghannadpour said. "They might be spending a lot of time in their room, not wanting to come out when the family is having a meal. Not wanting to hang out with friends, because a lot of social gatherings happen around food. That that is a definitely a big indicator that they might be struggling with more than what we would consider just typical ideas about their body."
A few more bits of advice courtesy of Verywell Family
- Watch your words: Avoid talking about a person's appearance. Instead talk about how kind or talented they are.
- Emphasize being healthy, not thin: Spend family time doing things like playing outside or bike riding.
- Scan your kids toys: Scan unrealistic dolls with big muscles or crazy proportions, consider swapping those for board games, puzzles or books.
- Limit screen time: Experts agree, social media doesn't help.