| |
Eating disorders are rare in children under the age of eight, even though many children are fussy eaters or have eating issues.
However some signs and symptoms should always be investigated further, including:
- Weight loss
- Changes in behaviour with food
- Feelings of unhappiness with body shape and size.
Eating disorders are really about feelings and could signal that a child is having emotional, social or developmental difficulties. Often the eating disorder develops as a way for a child to feel in control about what’s happening in their life.
Types of eating disorders
The main types of eating disorder include:
- Anorexia nervosa – characterised by restricted eating, loss of weight (to an unhealthy level) and a fear of putting on weight.
- Bulimia nervosa – periods of bingeing on high-kilojoule foods (often in secret), followed by attempts to compensate by over exercising, vomiting or periods of strict dieting. The bingeing is accompanied by feelings of shame and being ‘out of control’.
- Binge eating disorder – similar to bulimia but without the compensating behavior such as vomiting or over exercising.
A range of influences
There is no single cause of an eating disorder. However many factors might influence a child to develop an unhealthy eating pattern or to become fearful about gaining weight.
Sometimes eating disorders develop after long periods of illness or as a diet that ‘gets out of control’. Usually, eating disorders can be broadly grouped into those influenced by personality factors and those affected by social or environmental factors.
Personality factors
Personality factors in the development of an eating disorder may include:
- Low self-esteem.
- Perfectionism.
- Difficulties expressing feelings like anger or anxiety.
- Being a ‘people pleaser’.
- Difficulties being assertive with others.
- Fear of adulthood.
Social or environmental factors
Social or environmental factors in the development of an eating disorder may include:
- Being teased or bullied.
- A belief that high expectations from family and others must be met.
- Major life changes such as family breakup, or the accumulation of many minor stressors.
- Peer pressure to behave in particular ways.
- A parent or other role model who consistently diets or who is unhappy with their body.
- Media and advertising images of the ‘perfect’ body.
- A cultural tendency to judge people by their appearance.
Boys and girls
Eating disorders are more likely to affect females than males. About 20–25 per cent of children affected by eating disorders are boys.
Men and women experience different social pressures about how they should look. Primary school age children are not immune to these pressures, and their attitudes and behaviours reflect adult concerns. Like many adult females, girls want to lose weight and be thin and, like many adult males, boys want to lose body fat but increase muscle mass.
Early warning signs
Children can become fussy about particular foods or lose weight for lots of reasons, but it is important to get any concerns checked out. Some signs that a child might have an eating disorder are:
- An intense fear of gaining weight.
- Denial of being hungry.
- Deceptive behaviour around food – for instance, throwing out or hiding school lunches.
- Avoiding food.
- Compulsive exercising and a need to be active all the time.
- Eating in secret.
- Cutting out particular food groups, such as meat or dairy products.
- Developing food rituals – such as always using the same bowl, cutting food up into tiny pieces or eating very slowly.
- Behavioural changes – such as social withdrawal, irritability or depression.
- Sleep disturbance.
Dieting increases the risk of developing eating disorders
Dieting is common among women and teenage girls in Western society. Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa can be triggered by weight loss dieting.
A girl who moderately crash diets increases her risk of developing an eating disorder five-fold, while the risk is 18-fold for a girl who severely crash diets. Children should not be encouraged to ‘diet’ unless under the supervision of a health practitioner.
How parents and teachers can help
Children are great imitators, so parents, teachers and other adults can play an important role to help prevent eating disorders and promote positive body image in young children.
Foster a healthy relationship with food
You can encourage children to develop a healthy relationship with food if you:
- Try not to label foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – this sets up cravings and feelings of guilt when the ‘bad’ foods are eaten.
- Avoid using food as bribes or punishment.
- Accept that children are likely to have different eating habits from adults – for instance, they may require more food more frequently during the day or may go through periods of liking or disliking particular foods.
- Do not crash diet and don’t try to put your child on a crash diet.
- Allow your child to eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Don’t force your child to eat everything on their plate.
Encourage children to feel good about their bodies
- There are lots of ways to help children feel good about their bodies, including:
- Show an acceptance of different body shapes and sizes, including your own.
- Make a positive effort to portray your own body as functional and useful.
- Demonstrate healthy eating and sensible exercise.
- Don’t criticise or tease children about their appearance.
- Encourage children to ‘listen’ to their bodies and to become familiar with different physical feelings and experiences.
- Encourage sport and regular exercise to help maintain your child’s healthy weight and foster their body confidence.
Encourage self-esteem
A strong sense of identity and self worth is important to help children cope with life pressures. You can:
- Help children to develop effective coping strategies.
- Encourage children to express their needs and wants, to make decisions (and cope with the consequences) and to pursue things they are good at.
- Allow children to say ‘no’. Encourage them to be assertive if they feel they have been mistreated.
- Help children to develop a critical awareness of the images and messages they receive from television and magazines.
Professional help
If your child is preoccupied and unhappy with their body, or seems to be developing behaviours like restricting their eating, then professional advice may be helpful. See your doctor for information and referral.
Where to get help
- Your doctor
- Your local community health centre
- An Accredited Practising Dietitian, www daa.asn.au
- Psychologist.
- The Eating Disorder Foundation Victoria (03) 9885 0318 non metro callers 1300 550 236 www.eatingdisorders.org.au
Things to remember
- Eating disorders are about feelings, not food.
- Changes in behaviour with food, or feeling unhappy with body shape and size, could signal that a child is having emotional, social or developmental difficulties.
- Children learn by imitating, so parents, teachers and other adults can help prevent eating disorders by setting good examples.
You might also be interested in:
Body image - men.
Body image - tips for parents.
Body image - women.
Body image and diets.
Eating disorders.
Eating tips for teenagers.
Healthy eating for kids.
Want to know more?
Go to More information for support groups, related links and references.
|  |
|
