Vim & Vigor - Fall 2021 - 12

12
Signs of Trouble:
Eating Disorders
in Children
Eating disorders such as anorexia,
bulimia and binge eating are a
pervasive problem in our society,
affecting about 30 million women
and men in their lifetimes-and an
alarming number of youths, too.
About 1 in 37 children ages 13
to 18 will have an eating disorder,
according to the National Institute
of Mental Health, and a 2009 study
showed the number of children
under age 12 who were hospitalized
for eating disorders had risen
119 percent in seven years.
Fran Walfi sh, PsyD, a family
and relationship psychotherapist
and the author of The Self-Aware
Parent: Resolving Confl ict and
Building a Better Bond with Your
Child, says that the following signs
may indicate a child is at risk for
disordered eating.
Changes in weight: This might
mean gaining or losing signifi cant
amounts or " the weight is rapidly
fl uctuating in one direction or
another, " Walfi sh says.
Eating in secret: Children may
feel shame about their eating habits
and try to disguise them from
family members. " You might catch
your child hiding or sneaking food
or notice that certain snacks are
disappearing from your fridge or
pantry, " she says.
Gorging: Some kids don't seem
to have an " off " switch. " You might
see them eating too quickly and
then seeming depressed afterward,
or always needing to fi nish the
entire bag of cookies, " Walfi sh says.
Social isolation: Parents should
watch for kids disconnecting from
their peers. " A child who becomes
self-conscious about their body
and size may want to hide from
friends, for fear of teasing or bullying, "
Walfi sh says.
swimsuit season.
ATTITUDE CHECK
I'm not eating any
carbs till after
were given by their own parents
about weight, body image, value
and what is important, " says Fran
Walfi sh, PsyD, a family and relationship
psychotherapist and the
author of Th e Self-Aware Parent:
Resolving Confl ict and Building
a Better Bond with Your Child.
Walfi sh says this might require " a
painful, honest look within " and
says that talk therapy may help
you examine these issues more
closely. Once you identify these
Nutrition Tips for Kids
Child nutrition expert Jill Castle covers a wide range of topics
on her podcast, The Nourished Child. She and other experts discuss
situations such as appealing to picky eaters, fueling young athletes and
dealing with overindulgent grandparents. Visit jillcastle.com/podcast.
FALL 2021 VIM & VIGOR
beliefs, you can assess them and
decide whether they refl ect your
values today.
QUIT FORCE-FEEDING
Walfi sh oſt en hears about older
adults trying to push food onto kids,
regardless of whether they seem
hungry. Th ough older caregivers
might mean well-maybe they
learned as kids to do this out of food
scarcity during lean times-it has
a negative eff ect on children today,
who could start to see mealtime as
a confl ict and act rebelliously or
condition themselves to ignore their
natural hunger cues, which can lead
to overeating.
Grandparents who grew up in
the wake of the Great Depression
PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES
http://www.jillcastle.com/podcast
Vim & Vigor - Fall 2021

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