Teens and Eating Disorders

Couple of decades back In India, you either belonged to a family that believed in eating well, so you ate well, or you couldn’t afford it and had to survive on meager meals. Nobody had even heard of the term “eating disorder”. A Diet was something you were on because you were sick and had food restriction. So how and when did we become a nation of diet crazy weight obsessed people? I hate to blame globalization for everything, but I guess in this case I am right.

Once our definition of looking good changed to looking thin as opposed to being fit irrespective of our shape or size, eating disorders became the order of the day. It is not very easy to lose fat the right way by exercising and eating right. So when people assume they see an easy way in crash dieting or throwing up after every meal, they take it up. And who doesn’t like to look good.

When they see adults being be so food obsessed, teens who are confused about everything that is happening to them and around them, take the fall hard. Experts say that eating disorders begin with what seem like harmless disordered eating habits. Maybe a teenager insists on light tiffins only as opposed to meals. Most of them tend to skip breakfast or spend the day on a liquid diet. They may be moody, anxious, depressed. They may withdraw from friends, and become overly sensitive to criticism. Other red flag behaviors can include constant complaining about body weight and reporting food poisoning or stomach troubles.

Sadly, disorders like Anorexia and bulimia which are the most common eating disorders of the day are yet to be completely studied and understood. It is not known for sure why girls and boys of the same family can have varying opinions of themselves, as well as one having an eating disorder while others do not. All that is known are that they are psychological disorders that involve extreme disturbances in eating behavior. For a start Parents and other adults in the house can help by setting a good example. It is said that if parents are happy with their appearance, enjoy eating healthy without over emphasizing it, remaining active and refraining from placing unnecessary emphasis on weight will allow children to learn from their parents to have a healthy, realistic view of themselves and others. Also seeking medical help early can curb the issue in the bud while ignoring the problem or thinking that it will go away on its own could cause the child more medical complications like amenorrhea (loss of periods)  and osteopenia, early bone loss that can lead to painful fractures.

So can we Empower Teens with the Truth about Diets so as adults they are more comfortable with their bodies? Is it even possible to create a concept where people believe that they can eat with pleasure and with freedom and that all different body shapes and sizes are okay?  Though difficult, it is not impossible. Once the societal concept of self worth and beauty changes in accordance to it, it is very much possible.