Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidance disorder, there are various types of eating disorders that not only affect adolescents and adults as we tend to think, children can also be their victims. And the origin of this type of mental illness has to do with the body image one has of oneself. That is, the subjective perception of one’s own body that turns out to be different from the real one. In this sense, there are multiple factors that affect this dissociation. Currently, especially the influence of social networks and the admiration for an unreal and digitalized physique.
That is why parents must be very alert about how their children develop the image they perceive of themselves and their body. It is necessary to ensure that this evolution occurs in a positive and favorable way for their self-esteem and confidence. However, the Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Hospital warns that it is an increasingly common situation for many mothers and fathers to notice the concern their children feel about their body weight.
During the late 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, children and adolescents of the time had to live under the reign of strong fatphobia. Omnipresent in movies, in fashion and on the covers of magazines, which labeled as “fat”, with an undoubted negative connotation, any famous body that did not meet the standard of marked thinness that was considered the only acceptable thing.
Currently, certain social movements and figures that act as references are managing to change the paradigm, fighting because every body, thinner or fatter (a term recovered as the descriptive word that it is, not pejorative), shorter or taller, with more curves or less, is equally valid. However, social pressure on the body to comply with canonical standards continues to exist and remains strong. And this results in children worried about their weight and at risk of eating disorders.
One of the most common reactions is to respond to concerns about their weight expressed by children with phrases such as: “don’t worry, you’re not fat”, “you’re thin and handsome”. And psychologist James Greenblatt warns that this is one of the worst things parents can do, since the only thing it achieves is perpetuating that fear of fatness and gaining weight, due to the negative connotation that this has. Instead, the specialist recommends starting a reflective conversation with the minor.
The objective is for the child to express himself, without invalidating his emotions at any time, even if he disagrees. It will be necessary to work with them on their confidence and self-esteem, as well as self-acceptance. And, of course, stay alert to the evolution of this situation and detect any possible warning signs that reveal an eating disorder.
