Eating Disorder Help: Parents are Key in Preventing This Problem 

Eating disorders are complex conditions that can be difficult to treat. In many cases, an eating disorder will develop slowly over time, with symptoms progressively becoming more severe. Many times, the compulsive nature of the eating disorder will become obvious at the most early stages of the condition. It is during these early stages that intervention may be most possible. Parents play a key role in preventing eating disorders in their children. Health professionals tell us that parents who are capable of maintaining a healthy attitude toward their own bodies empower children to do the same.

As a parent, you are the most important role model for your children. Here are six ways that you can help prevent an eating disorder from developing in your family.

1. Be positive about your own body. Avoid making negative statements about your body. Children learn from their parents, and may begin to mirror your own dissatisfaction. Be aware that if you demonstrate preoccupation or excessive concern about your weight and physical appearance, your children may begin to mirror this behavior. Even if you find you cannot conquer your own weight obsession, try not to pass it on to your children.

2. If your child expresses concern about their weight, remind them that people come in all shapes and sizes. Remind them that physical appearance is not the most important thing about their identity, and that beauty is not necessarily defined by how thin they are.

3. Avoid the idea of 'being perfect.' Studies have shown that individuals who consider themselves perfectionists are more prone to developing an eating disorder. With this finding in mind, parents should take care not to exert too much pressure on their children to be 'perfect'. While all parents should encourage their children to excel in many areas of life, they should refrain from pressuring their children into the role of sports star or student achiever. Parents should also refrain from reigning in their own instinct to be a perfectionist; parents will often convey the anxieties associated with perfectionism in an unconscious manner to their own children.

4. Model healthy behavior for your children. Children absorb so much of what you say and do, even when you think they are not paying attention. One of the best ways to prevent an eating disorder from developing in your family is by modeling healthy behaviors and making them a permanent part of your life. This means preparing healthy meals and getting some form of regular exercise. Teach your children to eat diverse kinds of foods in moderation. Don't make them feel guilty for eating certain foods. Also, teach them that exercise need not be a chore, but can be something that is fun.

5. Be informed about the messages your children are receiving from peers, TV, movies, fashion magazines, and other influences in their life. Find out how your children are interpreting messages from their friends and the media. Discuss these messages with them. Many children and young adults receive their idea about beauty from media messages and peers. If this is the case, talk to your children about the unrealistic standards that these messages seem to convey, and work to counteract these messages.