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The Power of Refraining From Weight Comments About Children
In our culture today, there is tremendous pressure on parents when it comes to the health of their children. The problem with this is that there is often a hyperfocus on weight and body size as a measure of health, particularly with the “obesity” epidemic that seems to have taken our nation by storm.
Because of the negative stigma and stereotypes that are associated with being overweight or obese, many parents may fear their child being subject to bullying or not accepted in general. Rightly so, these fears may drive parents to take certain measures with good intention to prevent their child from potentially struggling with an issue related to their health and/or weight.
Body Size Not a Measure of Health
The important thing to understand is that body size alone cannot determine anyone’s health, let alone a child, who is still growing and developing. Children often go through fluctuations of weight changes throughout their growing years, but this can cause concern for a well-meaning parents who are unsure about their child’s health and stature.
Perhaps one of the most damaging this for a child is to hear comments made about their weight, whether negative or positive. Even if well-intended, comments about weight, body size, shape, etc, can influence emotional and psychological issues at a young age.
For a child who may have other risk factors for an eating disorder, such as biological predisposition, comments about weight and stature can serve as a trigger that influences the development of an eating disorder. This could be from a parent, guardian, extended family member, teacher, coach, etc.
A recent study published in the journal of Eating and Weight Disorders found that parents’ comments about a child’s weight was often predictive of many things, including dieting behaviors, eating disorders, and binge eating [1]. This also reinforces a negative stigma about weight that children often internalize and will carry with them well into adulthood.
Focusing on Factors Outside of Weight
As parents and guardians, how can you influence positive behaviors in your children? The good news is that you do not have to mention comments about weight in order to do this. Refraining from emphasis on body size, weight, shape, etc can be helpful for your child, in addition to eliminating any pressure for your child to conform to a certain body type or size.
Encourage healthy eating/movement behaviors through your own example, and take some time to reflect about how you feel about your own body. If you are critical about your own body image, chances are that your children are picking up on this. Helping your child develop a positive body image can be encouraged at a young age.
About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Director of Content and Social Media for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
References:
[1]: Wansink B, et al. “Don’t eat so much:” how parents comments relate to female weight satisfction. Eat Weight Disord 2016 Jun 6 [Epub ahead of print]The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on March 25, 2017
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
