Children as young as six are being diagnosed with eating disorders, as revealed by a new national study. This shocking condition poses serious health risks, including stunted growth, fertility issues, and bone damage.
During a 13-month period, 206 preteen children in Britain and Ireland were diagnosed with various eating disorders, ranging from anorexia to binge eating. Half of them required in-patient treatment, with some displaying symptoms of starvation and needing to be fed through a tube.
The youngest child diagnosed was just six years old, showing signs of anorexia. An eight-year-old girl was the youngest to be diagnosed with anorexia specifically.
The study also uncovered that becoming a vegetarian and avoiding perceived fattening foods, like chocolate and sweets, was a common first step for these children. Additionally, half of the girls involved in the study engaged in excessive exercise to control their weight.
On a positive note, almost 60 percent of the children have shown signs of improvement.
Experts explain that younger children are more conscious of their bodies and influenced by fashion and celebrity culture. They are also likely to be influenced by parents who follow restrictive diets and exercise excessively. Recent research has even suggested a genetic link to anorexia.
Parents are cautioned that young children with eating disorders can deteriorate rapidly, yet it can take months for the signs to be recognized.
Tips for Parents:
- The key is recognizing a change in the child’s level of satisfaction with themselves and their body (in weight, size or shape), change in self acceptance or self-view or a change in social interaction. The main warning sign is to look for change. Not all changes your child will go through are concerning or negative. However, it is important to notice change when it is persistently negative towards the child’s own looks, size, and self.
- Encourage your child to eat healthy, regularly and have a variety of foods. You can promote needed changes in menu choices but not dieting.
- Parents can be modeling healthy eating and regular physical activity while setting expectations of valuing people for their internal worth rather than for their physical appearance. It is not about parents saying or not saying something, it is more about parents leading by example.
