Eating Disorders Have Dangerous Consequences Not to be Taken Lightly

Palmdale, CA.- Because we live in a world where being ‘thin’ is often associated with beauty and glamor, many individuals including children and teens (especially girls) feel obliged to eat less and lose weight in pursuit of becoming more ‘attractive’ and ‘accepted’ as often portrayed by the media.

Unfortunately, adopting such an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to serious eating disorders, some of which result in severe illness that can even lead to death at a young age. That’s why it’s so important to develop a healthy relationship with food at a young age to ensure good overall health and well-being, according to mental health experts.

“There are many factors that determine whether we have a good or bad relationships with food, including culture, the media and the people we love who often play a major role in that determination,” said Dr. Leonard Tutaryebwa, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente Antelope Valley.

According to Dr. Tutaryebwa, people’s relationship with food starts at home. She noted parents often are viewed as role models by their children, and that’s why it’s important that they practice what they preach when it comes to the way we talk about food and how we talk about the human body. It’s important for caregivers to talk about bodies and food as a source of energy and exercise as a celebration of what the body can do.

“Children and adolescents care deeply about the opinions of those around them and are continually learning from them,” Dr. Tutaryebwa said. “They will observe how the people they love interact with food. They learn to view food as bad and good, along with placing body shapes into these categories. They see how we speak about others in our environment as well. Through our criticism of others or ourselves, they learn to view their own bodies in a negative way.”

In observance of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, Feb. 24 – March 2, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) notes that eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes and weights.

In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives, according to NEDA. “There’s no single cause of an eating disorder,” NEDA notes. “Rather, it’s a complex combination of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability.”

The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disordersstates that at least 30 million Americans are suffering from an eating disorder, which it describes as a type of mental illness that, left untreated, can cause life-threatening mental and physical problems. Nearly every hour in the U.S., someone dies due to complications related to an eating disorder, it notes.

Because disordered eating patterns are highly challenging to treat once they have progressed, Dr. Tutaryebwa stresses that early detection and treatment can be lifesaving.

“If there’s a concern a loved one may be struggling, just like we would seek medical care for a broken bone or an infection, we need to seek medical care and speak to our health care provider,” she said. 

Dr. Tutaryebwa urged parents to look out for certain signs exhibited by their children who may be struggling with eating disorders, and to seek help before it’s too late.

“Look for changes in behaviors such as eating less, changes in appearance, changes in academics, isolating, or an increase in irritability,” Dr. Tutaryebwa said. “If there are concerning changes in a child’s behaviors impacting one’s well-being, this can be a signal that it may be time to talk to a physician like a Pediatrician.”

Limiting how much time children spend on social media is also important, Dr. Tutaryebwa noted, adding adults need to model appropriate media consumption. When using electronics, setting limits on time spent on devices is important along with quality time with one another such as dinner time as a family unit.

“Assuring the content children and adolescents are consuming along with the conversations that are being held in this social media realm is of high importance,” Dr. Tutaryebwa advised. “Creating time to review emotions triggered by the social media content such as sadness or doubt and in general is key to strengthen relationships between parents and a child or adolescent.”

Kaiser Permanente offers valuableinformation related to symptoms and treatment of eating disorders.

Kaiser Permanente

 Photo Caption: There are many factors that determine whether we have a good or bad relationships with food, including culture, the media and the people we love who often play a major role in that determination.