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Teen eating disorders: Tips to protect your teen
Are you worried about teen eating disorders? Find out how to talk to your teen about eating disorders and promote a healthy lifestyle for the entire family.
By Mayo Clinic staffTeen eating disorders can take a devastating toll on adolescents — especially teen girls. To help protect your teen, understand the possible causes of teen eating disorders and know how to talk to your teen about healthy eating habits.
Why teens develop eating disorders
Teens develop eating disorders — such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder — for many reasons. For example:
- Societal pressure. Modern Western culture tends to place a premium on being physically attractive and having a perfect body. Even with a normal body weight, teens can easily develop the perception that they're fat. This can trigger an obsession with losing weight, dieting and being thin, especially for teen girls.
- Low self-esteem. Teens who have low self-esteem may use their eating habits or weight loss to achieve a sense of stability or control.
- Family stress. Problems at home, including perceived high parental expectations for achievement and appearance, can play a role in the development of teen eating disorders.
- Favorite activities. Participation in sports and activities that value leanness — such as wrestling, running and ballet — sometimes contribute to teen eating disorders.
- Personal factors. Some teens may be more likely to develop eating disorders due to personality traits or genetics. Eating disorders can run in families.
Consequences of teen eating disorders
Teen eating disorders can cause serious and even life-threatening health problems, including:
- Heart disease, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, anemia and type 2 diabetes
- Depression, which may spiral to suicidal thoughts or behavior
- Delayed growth and hair and bone loss
- Seizures, heart palpitations and, for girls, absence of menstruation (amenorrhea)
- Digestive problems, kidney damage and tooth decay
Talking about teen eating disorders
Talking to your teen about eating disorders may not be easy. Still, it's an important topic. When you discuss teen eating disorders, you might:
- Encourage healthy eating habits. Talk to your teen about how diet can affect his or her health, appearance and energy level. Encourage your teen to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and to avoid skipping meals. Make healthy eating easy for your teen by eating together as a family.
- Discuss media messages. Television programs, movies, Web sites and magazines may send your teen the message that only a certain body type is acceptable. Encourage your teen to talk about and question what he or she has seen or heard — especially from Web sites or other sources that promote anorexia as a lifestyle choice, rather than an eating disorder (commonly called "pro-ana" sites).
- Encourage a healthy body image. Talk to your teen about his or her self-image and offer reassurance that healthy body shapes vary. Your acceptance and respect can help your teen build self-esteem and resilience. Encourage family and friends to refrain from using hurtful nicknames and joking about people who are overweight or have a large body frame.
- Discuss the dangers of dieting, obsessing about food and emotional eating. Explain that dieting can compromise your teen's nutrition, growth and health. Remind your teen that eating or controlling his or her diet isn't a healthy way to cope with emotions. Instead, encourage your teen to talk to family, friends or a counselor about problems he or she may be facing.
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References
- Demory-Luce D, et al. Adolescent eating habits. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 8, 2010.
- Forman SF. Eating disorders: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical features. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 8, 2010.
- Forman SF. Eating disorders: Treatment and outcome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 8, 2010.
- American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Adolescence. Identifying and treating eating disorders. Pediatrics. 2003;111:204. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
- Wilson JL, et al. Surfing for thinness: A pilot study of pro-eating disorder web site usage in adolescents with eating disorders. Pediatrics. 2006;118:e1635.
- Eating disorders. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/pages/Eating-Disorders.aspx. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
- Eating disorders in children. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/pages/Eating-Disorders-in-Children.aspx. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
- Teenagers with eating disorders. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/teenagers_with_eating_disorders. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
- Eating disorders. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/eating.aspx. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
- Eating disorders. National Mental Health Information Center. http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/ken98-0047/default.asp. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
- Sim LA, et al. Family-based therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2004;79:1305.
- Sim LA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 2, 2010.
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