Eating Disorder Awareness 2023

As a parent of little ones, I know so much time and energy goes into trying to nurture, teach, and protect our kids. This world is overwhelming, overstimulating, and frightening in many ways.  With it being ED Awareness week, I have been doing some reflecting on the complexities of these illnesses. Prevention is so important and as parents we are often trying to put out fires before they start. While humbly knowing we cannot control everything that happens to our kids, how do we at the same time try our best to provide an environment that is supportive of eating disorder prevention?  Here are some thoughts and experiences based on my own observations and what we know through research.

-Teach Your Child about Diet Culture: There is a real war waging for our time, energy, money, and focus. The diet and weight loss industry is a $70 billion industry. Even though research evidences and recognizes that 95% of diets fail, our culture’s fixation on trying to control our bodies isn’t going anywhere. While finding age appropriate ways to engage your child may seem complicated, it can start with not engaging in dieting behaviors yourself. As they grow, helping your kids become informed consumers of media and helping them learn how to discern and recognize what diet jargon/messaging sounds like, can be a protective shield that they can hold onto for the rest of their life.
Some practical ways of not engaging in diet culture in your home includes practicing food neutrality, not using food as a reward or punishment, and not engaging in negative food or body talk.

-Teach your Child about the Beauty of Body Diversity: One of the most beautiful things about humans is that we are all different. Our bodies are uniquely and intricately made and come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Our culture has developed many opinions, judgements, and many false pretenses about body size that contributes to misinformation about health, fitness, and overall well being. Modeling your own body acceptance, while not elevating and idealizing certain body types is powerful. Little eyes and ears are listening, more than we realize! As parents we are often encouraged to focus “more on inner qualities of others,” (and yes this is helpful!)—BUT, how you talk about bodies does matter and your kids are listening. Any type of “negative body talk” is never going to be helpful or fortifying your child’s relationship with their body.

-Eat with your Child/Family Meals: Eating together is about more than food. It’s about connection and having a place to be seen and known. Family meals also provide a place for your kids to see you modeling normal eating. It can be a place your kids see you  intentionally self care through nourishing the body. Family meals are well researched and the benefits are astounding on many levels. Research shows they provide protective factors against many mental health issues, eating disorders included. A recent survey in 2022 by the American Heart Association found that 91% of parents feel less stressed when their families eat meals together. We all need to feel less stressed these days, we need to slow down, we need connection, our kids do too. Thinking about family meals as an avenue to connect and be curious about who our little people are becoming is something worthy of consideration.

-Work on your Own Relationship with Food/Body: Everyone has a complex story regarding their own relationship with food/body. All of our stories can directly impact those we are around, especially our kids. If part of your story includes wounds that haven’t been healed in this realm, giving yourself space and permission to explore this is so valuable. It is never too late. If you do not feel accepting of yourself and lack self compassion towards yourself in these areas, have hope it can be different. Seek out the support of a non-diet dietitian and therapist. Being willing to grow and evolve in these areas is a powerful example and being able to change the narrative ourselves, can abundantly overflow into how we engage our world as parents. 

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Sarah Torti LPC-MHSP (C) 2023