Anorexia:
Young Kids At Risk

One fourth of America is dieting at one time. Among the legions of the weight conscious is an alarmingly younger group of children. Surveys have shown that forty two percent of first through third graders want to be thinner. "What’s becoming normal is to not like your body if you’re a woman," says clinical psychologist, Dina Zechkausen. "Women approach food as the enemy. And, these are the mothers that are passing the message to their daughters that there are good foods and bad foods. Fat is bad, thin is good."

"Five and six year olds worrying about being fat and counting calories are simply reflecting what they see around them everyday," says Zeckhausen. "Often mothers are unaware of how easy it is for daughters to pick up on bad attitudes about food and appearance that could develop into the disordered thinking of an eating disorder down the road.

Early obsessions with food can lead to eating disorders. Just ask sixteen year old Julie. "I didn’t set out to become anorexic," says Julie. "That was the farthest thing from my mind. It was a very gradual process for me, but first I started to lose weight and diet and cut back on food and became real preoccupied with calories and fat." Julie started worrying about her weight in grade school. Although she didn’t become anorexic until years later, the pattern of negative thinking was established much earlier.

Zeckhausen says the most important thing for parents to do is be as normal about food as possible. "That means not dieting, not bingeing when your under stress and not dividing foods up into good or bad categories." Zeckhausen says, " it is also really important for parents to let their daughters know that what’s important is who they are on the inside: their thoughts, their feelings, their sense of humor. Appearance is just one aspect of a person and it’s what is on the inside that counts."

Evaluate Your Child’s Habits

America has an obsession with appearance and being thin. And it’s not just adults that are diet conscious; it’s our kids too. Surveys have shown that 42 percent of first through third graders want to be thinner. And more than 50 percent of 3,000 fifth through eighth graders wanted to lose weight regardless of their size. Eating disorders are happening at a younger age; affecting both girls and boys. The consequence of this intense focus on being thin is causing a distorted body image in kids, and an ideal they cannot achieve. And the potential damage to kids and their developing bodies are extreme. The following is a list of questions parents should ask themselves about their kids.

1. Is your child preoccupied with labeling foods with good or bad, fattening, instead of just food?
2. Is your child preoccupied with counting calories, dieting, gaining weight or cutting food into tiny pieces?
3. Do they count fat grams?
4. Do they feel guilty about eating desserts or "forbidden" foods?
5. Do they have a distorted body image, saying they are fat or that they cannot wear something because it shows off their "big" thighs?
6. Does your child have perfectionist thinking, intent on doing everything just right?
7. Do they make negative statements or think about other overweight people?
8. Has your daughter missed three consecutive periods?
9. Does your child wear layers of clothing and complain of being cold?
10. Is your child having trouble sleeping?

If you suspect your child may be developing an eating disorder, get help immediately!!

Ask your doctor or school nurse for help and referral information. Counseling support might be needed as well as this disorder has physical and emotional effects.