"I'm fat." "I'm too skinny." "I would be happier if I had bigger muscles." Do you hear your teen say or imply these ideas?
What is Body Image?
Body Image is our personal view and interpretation of our body, including mental, emotional, historical and physical components. It is a picture of the body seen through the mind's eye.
What causes poor Body Image?
Our culture seems to be obsessed with physical appearance -- particularly with body shape and size. This obsession, combined with pre-teens' and teens' maturing bodies and social desire to fit in can lead to an unhealthy body image. The images in mass media that fill magazines, newspapers, and television present teens with narrowly defined standards of attractiveness and an ideal that is often unrealistic.
Physical appearance actually has little to do with body image -- self-esteem is probably the biggest factor influencing our perceptions of our body and our body image. As a parent, you can significantly influence how good your teen feels about his or her body.
Teen nutrition
- Educating teens about nutrition will empower them to make positive changes on their own. Avoid labeling foods as "good" or "bad". Teaching moderation and balance in food choices across food groups promotes lifelong healthy eating patterns. One study found that female teens whose mothers imposed restrictions on certain “snack foods” actually ate more of those snack foods in an unrestricted setting (Fisher, 1999).
- Good nutrition, along with exercise, relieves stress and makes teens healthier and happier.
- If your teen has a weight problem, encourage him or her to choose lower fat choices from the food groups and to exercise regularly.
- Have dinner together as s helps create a safe and nurturing environment for your teen, and it is often more nutritious and less caloric thana family. Thi eating out.
Let It Be
Teens will know if you are anxious over their size and appearance. It is important that you do not stress over your teen's body. The more pressure you create to lose weight or build muscle, the less likely teens will be to do it; and they will be more likely to feel badly about themselves.
Promoting a healthy body image
Research has shown that family meals influence behaviors beyond eating. One study demonstrated that teenage girls who ate with their families at least 5 times per week were less likely to develop eating disorders over a 5 year period than those who did not. Furthermore, they were less likely to participate in sexual activity, to be anti-social, and to be involved in violence (Eisenberg, 2008).
One of the best things you can do to promote and healthy body image is be a positive role model. If you are critical of your body and your physical imperfections, your teen will notice. Celebrate your body and promote acceptance and pride of all body shapes and sizes.
Fisher et al. found that parents who were concerned about their own eating habits were more controlling of their children’s intakes.
It is important to help children identify a healthy lifestyle that balances nutritious eating and physical activity without favoring either the extreme of overweight or disordered eating (Neumark-Stainer, 2007).
Focus on positive aspects of your children’s bodies and avoid weight-based jokes or remarks at home to help create a “safe” eating and living environment.
"Teen Nutrition and Body Image" by Meals Matter. For the full article and more visit http://www.mealsmatter.org/Articles-And-Resources/Healthy-Living-Articles/Teens-Body-Image.aspx
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance. For more information visit www.bestteendiets.org
During teen years, the need for a healthy diet cannot be
overemphasized. It is at this age that you are giving those finishing touches
to your final entry into adulthood and completing your major growth spurt. It
is the period of the fastest growth in your entire lifetime.
During these years you need extra calcium to store up the maximum amount of bone mass. The need for iron also increases at this time. Dieting prevents you from getting the calories and nutrients you need to grow properly and can in fact retard your growth. It may cause girls to stop menstruating and prevent boys from developing muscles.
What should you be eating?
Eating a healthy
diet is not difficult if you know the few basics of choosing the right food.
The best way to have a balanced nutrition is to choose in ample quantity the
many nutrition requirements of your body from each of the food groups:
§
Vegetables
§
Fruits
§
Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta
§
Milk, yoghurt and cheese
§
Meat, poultry, fish, dried beans and peas, eggs, and nuts.
What should be your ideal weight?
This should not be
difficult at all. Any doctor or your school nurse should be able to tell you
depending on your height, age and sex. He should be able to tell you whether
you need to lose or gain weight and even advise you as to how to go about it.
Going on a diet just because your friends are doing so or thinking that you are
fat and need to go on a diet, is the worst thing you can subject your body to.
Instead of making you look and feel healthy, it might lead you into severe
health problems.
In case you need to lose weight
It may so happen
that you indeed are overweight and the doctor advises you to lose weight. The
best and the surest way to start this is through exercise. In fact at times,
that is all that you may need.
Some tips for losing weight
§
Cut down on fats and sugars, and not on food
§
Never try to lose weight by going on a low calorie diet
§
Never reduce your liquid intake
§
Skipping meals especially breakfast is foolish
§
“Diet pills” should never even be thought of
§
The balancing act:
§
Maintain a balance between your favorite fatty foods and
fruits and vegetables, which are usually very low in fat.
§
Eat a wide variety of foods making sure your diet is
nutritionally right.
§
Generally eat a reasonable quantity so that you can even
add a few slices of pizza or the `junk food` you like so much, once in awhile
into your diet.
“Child Care: Teenage Dieting” Read more:http://newsolio.com/child-care-teenage-dieting,5254
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that
includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free
dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that
emphasize the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information
visit www.bestteendiets.org
What's a healthy weight?
Some teens have a hard time knowing what a healthy weight is, especially with all the body changes that are taking place. Girls sometimes think they need to be thinner even if they are not overweight. You may see models in magazines or on TV who are really skinny, and you may think that you need to lose weight so that you can look like them. But many of these models are underweight to a point that's unhealthy.
So how do you find out if you're at a healthy weight? One tool that can help tell you if you are at a healthy weight for your age and height is the Body Mass Index (BMI). Try our Body Mass Index calculator.
Also, ask your doctor whether you are at a healthy weight. Together, you can decide whether you need to lose weight, gain weight, or stop worrying about your weight.
If you need to lose weight
If your doctor tells you that you are overweight you should plan to lose weight. Work with your doctor and perhaps a dietitian to come up with a plan to help you get to a weight that is healthy for you.
Are you exercising? Increasing the amount of exercise you do each day may be all it takes to lose a few pounds. Aim for 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity each day. It doesn't have to be 60 minutes in one stretch. You can do short bursts of activity throughout the day, as long as they add up to 60 minutes. For tips on being active, check out the Fitness section of girlshealth.gov.
Here are some other tips for losing weight in a healthy way:
• Use MyPyramid Plan to guide your eating. The MyPyramid eating plan will encourage you to eat plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. These foods are rich in fiber. Besides being good for your digestion, fiber helps you feel full without adding extra calories. Besides fiber, fruits and vegetables also contain lots of water. Like fiber, water fills you up without adding extra calories.
• Cut back on fats. That includes cutting back on meats high in fat, such as burgers, and greasy fried foods, such as french fries.
• Cut back on sweets. Besides cutting back on candy bars and candies, you should also cut back on sugary drinks. The average 12-ounce can of soda has more than 100 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar. Try drinking water when you're thirsty rather than soda.
• Stop eating when you're full. That's sometimes easier said than done. When you enjoy eating something, it can be hard to stop. But pay attention to your stomach. When you feel full, it's time to stop eating. If you're at a restaurant, you can take home leftovers or share your food.
• Eat at least 1,600 calories each day. It can be hard to get the nutrients you need if you eat less than 1,600 calories each day. So don't go below this level unless you are under a doctor's care. Taking a multivitamin cannot make up for the nutrients you're not getting on such a strict diet.
• Eat breakfast. Research shows that teens who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight. One reason may be that skipping breakfast can leave you hungry so that you're more likely to snack on unhealthy foods during the day. When you eat breakfast, make sure that you eat healthy foods, like oatmeal, nonfat milk, and toast made from whole-grain bread.
• Avoid fad diets. Fad diets that allow only a few types of food often claim that they can help you lose weight quickly. Although these diets sometimes cause you to lose weight for a short amount of time, much of the weight you lose is from water and lean muscle. It's not from body fat. People who use fad diets often end up gaining back any weight that they lost. Another problem with fad diets is that they may not give you all the nutrients you need for growth, such as calcium and iron.
• Avoid weight-loss pills. Most weight-loss pills that you can buy without a prescription from your doctor have not been shown to work or be safe. Some have even been shown to be dangerous. If you plan to take any weight-loss pills, talk to your doctor first.
• Don't force yourself to vomit. Some people may eat a lot of food in a short amount of time and then try to get rid of the extra calories by forcing themselves to vomit. This can damage your teeth and gums, create sores in your throat and mouth, and even cause you to have an abnormal heart rate. Forced-vomiting is a sign of an eating disorder called bulimia. If you think you have bulimia, talk to your doctor.
• Don't expect to lose weight quickly. Losing about one to two pounds a week is a healthy rate of weight loss. If you're losing weight at a faster rate by using weight-loss pills or a fad diet, you'll probably gain most or all of it back when you quit the pills or the diet.
Healthy eating doesn't mean that you can't eat fun foods. Just be smart about which foods you eat. Here are some healthy snack ideas:
If you need to gain weight
If your doctor tells you that you are underweight, it's time to gain some weight. Sometimes being underweight can be just as hard a problem to solve as being overweight. (It is also a good idea to talk to a doctor or dietitian in this case to make sure you are gaining weight in a healthy way). Here are some tips for gaining weight in a healthy way:
• Use MyPyramid to guide your eating. No matter whether you are underweight, overweight, or the right weight, you should eat a variety of healthy foods. The MyPyramid eating plan can help you do that. If you are underweight, you just need to eat more calories each day. The MyPyramid Plan web site can tell you how many calories you need to eat each day in order to reach a healthy weight.
• Eat more "good" fats. The "good" fats are the unsaturated kind. You can find these in nuts, avocados, olives, and "fatty" fish.
• Eat more sugars. Select sweets that also provide nutrients, such as bran muffins, yogurt with fruit, fruit pies or juice, and granola bars.
Excerpts taken from "A Healthy Weight" by girlshealthy.gov. Read more at http://www.girlshealth.gov/nutrition/healthyweight/index.cfm
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that contains fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information visit http://www.bestteendiets.org/
Some teens have a hard time knowing what a healthy weight is, especially with all the body changes that are taking place. Girls sometimes think they need to be thinner even if they are not overweight. You may see models in magazines or on TV who are really skinny, and you may think that you need to lose weight so that you can look like them. But many of these models are underweight to a point that's unhealthy.
So how do you find out if you're at a healthy weight? One tool that can help tell you if you are at a healthy weight for your age and height is the Body Mass Index (BMI). Try our Body Mass Index calculator.Also, ask your doctor whether you are at a healthy weight. Together, you can decide whether you need to lose weight, gain weight, or stop worrying about your weight.
If you need to lose weight
If your doctor tells you that you are overweight you should plan to lose weight. Work with your doctor and perhaps a dietitian to come up with a plan to help you get to a weight that is healthy for you.
Are you exercising? Increasing the amount of exercise you do each day may be all it takes to lose a few pounds. Aim for 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity each day. It doesn't have to be 60 minutes in one stretch. You can do short bursts of activity throughout the day, as long as they add up to 60 minutes. For tips on being active, check out the Fitness section of girlshealth.gov.
Here are some other tips for losing weight in a healthy way:
• Use MyPyramid Plan to guide your eating. The MyPyramid eating plan will encourage you to eat plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. These foods are rich in fiber. Besides being good for your digestion, fiber helps you feel full without adding extra calories. Besides fiber, fruits and vegetables also contain lots of water. Like fiber, water fills you up without adding extra calories.
• Cut back on fats. That includes cutting back on meats high in fat, such as burgers, and greasy fried foods, such as french fries.
• Cut back on sweets. Besides cutting back on candy bars and candies, you should also cut back on sugary drinks. The average 12-ounce can of soda has more than 100 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar. Try drinking water when you're thirsty rather than soda.
• Stop eating when you're full. That's sometimes easier said than done. When you enjoy eating something, it can be hard to stop. But pay attention to your stomach. When you feel full, it's time to stop eating. If you're at a restaurant, you can take home leftovers or share your food.
• Eat at least 1,600 calories each day. It can be hard to get the nutrients you need if you eat less than 1,600 calories each day. So don't go below this level unless you are under a doctor's care. Taking a multivitamin cannot make up for the nutrients you're not getting on such a strict diet.
• Eat breakfast. Research shows that teens who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight. One reason may be that skipping breakfast can leave you hungry so that you're more likely to snack on unhealthy foods during the day. When you eat breakfast, make sure that you eat healthy foods, like oatmeal, nonfat milk, and toast made from whole-grain bread.
• Avoid fad diets. Fad diets that allow only a few types of food often claim that they can help you lose weight quickly. Although these diets sometimes cause you to lose weight for a short amount of time, much of the weight you lose is from water and lean muscle. It's not from body fat. People who use fad diets often end up gaining back any weight that they lost. Another problem with fad diets is that they may not give you all the nutrients you need for growth, such as calcium and iron.
• Avoid weight-loss pills. Most weight-loss pills that you can buy without a prescription from your doctor have not been shown to work or be safe. Some have even been shown to be dangerous. If you plan to take any weight-loss pills, talk to your doctor first.
• Don't force yourself to vomit. Some people may eat a lot of food in a short amount of time and then try to get rid of the extra calories by forcing themselves to vomit. This can damage your teeth and gums, create sores in your throat and mouth, and even cause you to have an abnormal heart rate. Forced-vomiting is a sign of an eating disorder called bulimia. If you think you have bulimia, talk to your doctor.
• Don't expect to lose weight quickly. Losing about one to two pounds a week is a healthy rate of weight loss. If you're losing weight at a faster rate by using weight-loss pills or a fad diet, you'll probably gain most or all of it back when you quit the pills or the diet.
Healthy eating doesn't mean that you can't eat fun foods. Just be smart about which foods you eat. Here are some healthy snack ideas:
- Baked potato chips or tortilla chips with salsa
- Pretzels (lightly salted or unsalted)
- Bagels with tomato sauce and low-fat cheese (low-fat version of a pizza)
- Flavored rice cakes (like caramel or apple cinnamon)
- Air popped popcorn
- Veggies with low-fat or fat-free dip
- Low-fat cottage cheese topped with fruit or spread on whole-wheat crackers
- Low-fat frozen yogurt
- Low-fat milk shakes with skim milk, orange or pineapple juice, and sliced bananas or strawberries
- Frozen fruit bars
- Vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, graham crackers, animal crackers, fig bars, raisins
- Angel food cake topped with strawberries or raspberries and low-fat whipped cream
If you need to gain weight
If your doctor tells you that you are underweight, it's time to gain some weight. Sometimes being underweight can be just as hard a problem to solve as being overweight. (It is also a good idea to talk to a doctor or dietitian in this case to make sure you are gaining weight in a healthy way). Here are some tips for gaining weight in a healthy way:
• Use MyPyramid to guide your eating. No matter whether you are underweight, overweight, or the right weight, you should eat a variety of healthy foods. The MyPyramid eating plan can help you do that. If you are underweight, you just need to eat more calories each day. The MyPyramid Plan web site can tell you how many calories you need to eat each day in order to reach a healthy weight.
• Eat more "good" fats. The "good" fats are the unsaturated kind. You can find these in nuts, avocados, olives, and "fatty" fish.
• Eat more sugars. Select sweets that also provide nutrients, such as bran muffins, yogurt with fruit, fruit pies or juice, and granola bars.
Excerpts taken from "A Healthy Weight" by girlshealthy.gov. Read more at http://www.girlshealth.gov/nutrition/healthyweight/index.cfm
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that contains fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information visit http://www.bestteendiets.org/
For most of us, food is the fuel that keeps us moving and keeps us healthy. We snack when we’re hungry, we enjoy socializing over a good meal, and eating is just one small part of our daily lives. For those with eating disorders, however, food takes on a whole new meaning.
There are other types of eating disorders, including binge eating. People with this problem lose control of eating, but do not purge or otherwise try to lose weight. Consequently, they are generally overweight, even obese.
Using food to feel in control of one’s life and to relieve stress and anxiety are also aspects of these medical problems.
Eating disorders commonly affect women, often during their teen and young adult years, although problems with food consumption have been observed in children and during later adulthood as well. Men and boys make up anywhere from 5 percent to 15 percent of cases of anorexia and bulimia, and 35 percent of people with binge eating disorder.
Eating Disorders: Symptoms and Warning Signs
While individual eating disorders may differ somewhat in their specific symptoms, there are general warning signs that can indicate a problem. “One possible sign of trouble is a person exhibiting changes in his or her eating habits, like cutting out certain foods from the diet, and maybe playing around with food more at the dinner table,” says Stacey Rosenfeld, PhD, a clinical psychologist in the department of psychiatry at Columbia Doctors Eastside and in private practice in New York City.
When it comes to recognizing an eating disorder, keep in mind that there are obvious, noticeable signs as well as more subtle ones.
Obvious eating disorder symptoms and signs can include:
- A significant drop in weight, a special concern in adolescence when boys and girls should be gaining weight
- Skipping meals and using excuses like “I’ve already eaten somewhere else” or “I’ll take my breakfast and eat it at school.”
- Only eating a few foods and consuming them in small quantities, weighing food, and compulsively counting calories
- Exercising excessively
- Evidence of using laxatives, diet pills, and even diuretics
- Possible signs of vomiting after meals, like leaving the table immediately after a meal to use the bathroom or drinking excessively while eating
Subtler eating disorder symptoms and signs include:
- Playing around with food on the plate in an attempt to make it look like more has been eaten than really was
- Watery eyes and eventual swelling in the cheeks after returning from purging in the bathroom
- Thinning hair on the head
- Growth of a fine layer of hair on the skin of those who are under-eating
Eating disorders are a serious medical illness, and knowing the signs and symptoms is an important first step in recognizing and ultimately treating them. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the better chance for a complete recovery.
Article "How to Spot Eating Disorders Symptoms" by Kristen Stewart and reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH. Read more: http://www.everydayhealth.com/eating-disorders/how-to-spot-eating-disorder-symptoms.aspx
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance. For more visit www.bestteendiets.org
Lots of today's popular diets take advantage of our desire to drop
weight quickly. Unfortunately, though, "quick-fix" diets don't work.
Here are 5 clues that a diet may be more about empty promises than real results:
- The diet is based on drastically cutting back
calories. Starvation-type
diets that require the body to fast often promise quick results. But our
bodies simply aren't designed to drop pounds quickly. In fact, doctors say
it's nearly impossible for a healthy, normally active person to lose more
than 2 to 3 pounds per week of actual fat, even on a starvation diet.
Here's the trick that very low-calorie diets rely on: The body's natural reaction to near-starvation is to dump water. So most, if not all, of the weight lost on quick-weight-loss diets is not fat — it's just water. And the body sucks this lost water back up like a sponge once a person starts eating normally again.
- The diet is based on taking special pills,
powders, or herbs. These
are usually just gimmicks — and the only thing they slim down is your
wallet. Many diet pills contain laxatives or diuretics that force a
person's body to eliminate more water. Just like restricted-calorie diets,
the weight lost with these supplements is mostly water, not fat.
Other supplements claim that their ingredients speed up metabolism; suppress appetite; or block the absorption of fat, sugars, or carbohydrates. For most diet supplements, there's no reliable scientific research to back up their claims. And doctors consider diet supplements risky for teens because not much is known about how the ingredients affect the growing body.
- The diet tells you to eat only specific foods or foods in certain combinations. There's no reliable scientific proof that combining certain foods works. And limiting the foods you eat means you might not get all the nutrition you need.
- The diet makes you completely cut out fat, sugar, or carbs. Depriving our bodies of needed food groups is a bad idea (especially when they're still growing). It's better to eat smaller portions in well-rounded meals (meals that contain servings of protein, grains, fruits, and veggies). When your body gets the right balance of nutrition, it's less likely to send you willpower-busting cravings! Eating smaller portions also helps you set good eating habits that will help you keep the weight off.
- The diet requires you to skip meals or replace meals with special drinks or food bars. As with diets that ban certain food groups, skipping or substituting meals can mean you don't get the nutrition needed to support healthy development. Plus, you miss out on the enjoyment of sharing a satisfying meal with friends or family.
Excerpts taken from "5 Ways to Spot a Fad Diet" reviewed by Mary L. Gavin, MD. Read more:http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/fad_diet_tips.html#cat20131
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance.
While overweight or obese teens may need to adopt healthier diets and increase physical activity, it's common for young people to look for quicker fixes to lose weight. But the new study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that unhealthy weight-control strategies caused teens to be heavier 10 years later no matter what their body mass index was to begin with.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health looked at data taken from more than 1,900 middle-school and high-school students who were followed for 10 years. More than 37% of the girls and 10% of the boys dieted persistently. Nearly half of the girls and almost 19% of boys engaged in other unhealthy weight-control practices, including smoking, using laxatives, vomiting, using diet pills, skipping meals or eating food substitutes.
Girls who dieted persistently had higher body mass indexes 10 years later: an increase of 4.6 units on the BMI scale compared with 2.3 units among non-dieters. For boys, a seven-unit increase was seen among persistent dieters compared with 3.5 among non-dieters. The increase in BMI occurred among people who were overweight to begin with as well as those who weren't overweight but dieted or engaged in unhealthy weight-control practices anyway.
"While young boys and girls may think dieting will help them to lose weight, data suggests they may be causing more harm than good in the long run," Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, the lead author of the study, said in a news release. "The focus needs to be on healthful eating and physical activity behaviors that can be sustained over time, rather than unhealthy, weight control practices."
Article "Unhealthy Dieting Leads to Higher Weight in Teens, Study Says" by Sheri Roan with the LA Times. Read more: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-teen-dieting-20120106,0,457692.story
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens.
Eating disorders affect millions of teens and young women worldwide and are more common in cultures that focus on weight loss and body image. Intense focus on thinness can lead to negative body image and unhealthy eating behaviors in young women. Sometimes, these unhealthy eating behaviors lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder or eating disorders not otherwise specified (ED-NOS).
What are eating disorders? There are four types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and ED-NOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified). Young women with these disorders often have a negative and distorted body image, and intense emotions and behaviors surrounding food. Young women with eating disorders may start to eat less because they are afraid of gaining weight. Sometimes they binge (overeat, consuming very large quantities of food) and sometimes purge (by making themselves vomit, over-exercising, or using laxatives). Eating disorders affect a person's physical and emotional health. They are very dangerous illnesses and can be fatal if they are not treated.
What is anorexia nervosa? Anorexia nervosa is an illness that involves having an extreme desire to be thin. The key elements of anorexia nervosa are: a refusal to keep body weight at a healthy level, an intense fear of being fat, and a distorted body image. Many teens who have anorexia stop having their periods or don’t get it on a regular schedule.
| Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa | |
| Physical | Emotional |
| Dramatic weight loss | Depression |
| Slow heart rate | Anxiety or nervousness |
| Low blood pressure | Distorted body image |
| Low body temperature | Intense fear of weight gain |
| Brittle hair and finger nails | Low self-esteem |
| Hair loss | Withdrawal from friends & activities |
| Dry skin & dehydration | Thinking about food most of the time |
| Growth of lanugo (soft furry hair on face, back & arms) | |
| Amenorrhea (menstrual period stops) | |
| Slow or stunted growth | |
What is bulimia nervosa? Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that involves frequent bingeing and purging, as well as a distorted body image. Following a binge, young women with bulimia will try to get rid of food by vomiting, taking laxatives or by excessively exercising. People with bulimia may hide what they eat from others and feel afraid or ashamed of their behavior.
What are some of the health problems that girls with bulimia face? Bulimia is hard to detect from looking at a person since the health problems a teen may suffer from are not as obvious as with anorexia. For example, someone may have a normal weight, but still have bulimia. Also, they may be secretive about their eating habits so that even their family and friends are not aware that they have a problem. Bulimia is serious and can cause permanent damage to the teeth, stomach, digestive track, and heart.
| Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa | |
| Physical | Emotional |
| Electrolyte problems | Depression |
| Irregular menstrual periods | Shame or guilt |
| Dehydration | Anxiety |
| Swollen face (fluid retention) | Fear of weight gain |
| Sore throat | Withdrawal from friends |
| Tooth decay/loss | |
| Dry, flakey skin | |
| Heart arrhythmias (due to potassium loss from vomiting) | |
| Constipation | |
| Body weight is typically normal | |
What is Binge Eating Disorder? Binge eating disorder, or compulsive eating disorder, involves eating large amounts of food in short periods of time without purging. Often, people with binge eating disorder will skip meals or eat small portions when they are around others and then eat large amounts when they are alone. Young women with binge eating disorder often suffer from anxiety, depression, loneliness, shame and/or self-hatred. Their body weight can vary from normal to obese.
What is EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified)? People with EDNOS have some, but not all, of the symptoms of either anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. For example, young women struggling with EDNOS may have periods of restrictive eating (days or months) followed by periods of overeating or binge eating, or they may be at a very low weight, but not have anorexia because they still get their menstrual period. Young women with EDNOS may also maintain a stable weight that is within a medically safe range, but still have many of the other symptoms and medical complications of eating disorders.
What causes eating disorders? There are many different theories regarding the causes of eating disorders. Eating disorders are likely caused by a combination of social, psychological, family, genetic, and environmental factors. Society’s intense focus on thinness and appearance influences how young women view their bodies and their self-esteem. While this focus may not cause eating disorders, it can contribute to their development. Teens who participate in competitive sports that emphasize thinness or artistic activities, such as ballet, running, gymnastics, or skating, are more likely to develop an eating disorder. Family stress of any kind can also contribute to the development of these illnesses. Dealing with difficult transitions, loss, or teasing about weight from friends or family may trigger eating disorders.
What do I do if I think my friend has an eating disorder? It can be hard to talk to a friend who you think has an eating disorder. People who have eating disorders are often in denial and do not want to talk about their problems. They may get defensive or upset with the people in their lives who try to get them help. Do not let these reactions prevent you from trying to help someone you care about.
Before talking to your friend, think about how to approach her. If you feel that you can't approach her yourself, share the information with a trusted adult and have them get help for your friend. You may want to talk with someone first such as an adult or another friend to find out more information, as it is helpful to have names and numbers of eating disorder resources to give your friend so she can take the steps to get help.
You may need to give your friend some time after you confront her about your concerns. Do not expect that she will immediately be able to understand you or accept help right away. Dealing with eating disorders can be challenging and may take a long time. Being honest and patient with your friend will make it easier for you to support her. But most importantly, remember to tell an adult such as a parent or teacher if you are worried about a friend.
How are eating disorders treated? Eating disorders are medical and psychological problems. Treatment usually includes working with a team of specialists: a therapist, a nutritionist, and a doctor or nurse practitioner. Treatment is individualized to fit a teen's specific needs.
Excerpts taken from "Eating Disorders" by the Center for Young Women's Health. Read the article in full at http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/eating_disorders.html
Best Teen Diets recommends well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that Emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. Stay tuned for the relaunch of our website with updated content at www.bestteendiets.org.
* If you or someone you know are suffering from an eating disorder please seek help from a professional as early as possible. Eating disorders can turn deadly and are often treated more successfully if caught early on.