There is a commonality in the peddling of diet products: A group of women bemoan the fact they are dieting. Even worse, should one have indulged, the label of 'I've been bad' is quickly applied. Advertising is advertising, however, not so frivolous is the message in these short missives: Eat well, you're doing 'good', eat poorly you're doing 'bad'. Internalized, this mantra can quickly parlay into the woman herself feeling 'good' or 'bad' simply based on what she's eaten that day.
While the target demographic for these ads is primarily women, this line of thinking is sending children the wrong message. The adage 'you are what you eat' can be carried too far.
It is vital that children are taught proper nutrition, balance, and how to achieve a healthy body image. Consider the following:
- 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner [Int J ED, "Body figure and preferences among pre-adolescent children,"Collins M.E., 1991, 199-208].
- 1 in 4 preadolescent cases of anorexia occurs in boys, and binge-eating disorder affects females and males about equally (National Institute of Health).
- According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders ( ANAD), 10% of those suffering from eating disorders place the age of onset of 10 years of age or less.
Good Food vs Bad:
The label is bantered around without hesitation, but there are no 'good' or 'bad' foods, per se, only those which are more healthful than others. The forbidden fruit syndrome can jump into play here: Tell a human something is off limits, odds are he will want it more. The key is to promote balance:
- Make fruits and vegetables a priority.
- Avoid choosing foods based on caloric content.
- Choose foods in the most whole form.
- Choose less healthful foods after eating balanced meals.
- Teach 'better' choice-making: fruit is more nutritional than cake; cake more than a high fructose candy.
- Healthful snacking is advantageous in maintaining proper blood glucose.
- Offer children a variety of tastes, textures, to promote a diverse palate and respect of food.
Eating and Socialization
Realistically, no one eats a perfectly nutritious diet all the time. This is normal; this is called living. Going to a party and enjoying birthday cake and ice cream with friends is as much about the social involvement as how much fat and calories is consumed.
On the whole, meeting the goal of good nutrition daily should come first; the occasional deviation is then absolutely healthy. The last thing a parent should want is a child who misses the enjoyment of social interaction for fear of gaining weight.
Exercise and Body Image
Active children will soon learn that performance is enhanced by the providing of fuel their bodies need. Exercise also creates strength, body awareness, and provides a sense of accomplishment, lending to a more positive body image. Foster a love of activity and healthy body image by:
- Encouraging free play out of doors to bolster body and mind.
- Engage children in team sports for a sense of cohesive achievement.
- Emphasize the role a strong body plays in your child's activity.
- Make the connection between nutrition and enhanced performance.
- Positively reference your child's body type as being ideal.
The media provides images of unrealistic body types and the drive to be "good" and perfectly thin. Add in peer and societal pressure and the battle for parents escalates. However, by shifting your child's focus to fueling the magnificent machine that is her body, fully enjoying social activity and giving them strong footing in believing in their own strengths, half that battle is won.
Janelle Ray - Janelle holds a B.S. in Nutrition and an M.S. in Physiology. After working as an exercise physiologist and personal trainer, she chose to ...
