Dieting/Body Image Variation

You said that you were concerned about your child's dieting or body image. Your child may be on a diet because s/he is overweight and needs to lose weight. If so, it might be a good idea for him/her to eat less sweets or fats.

It may be, however, that your child's weight is okay, but s/he wishes s/he were thinner. S/he may diet for short periods of time or skip desserts or snacks. S/he may even throw out his/her lunch at school once in a while. Your child may do this because he/she sees other kids at school eating less or skipping lunch. If your child is almost a teenager, it is important to keep an eye on what (and how much) s/he eats. Doing these things-once in a while is pretty normal.

Warning signs that things are getting worse

Your child:

• Begins eating less and less and talks often about dieting
• Is not gaining enough weight for his/her age
• Is losing weight
• Thinks and talks about being thin all the time
• Develops a fear of gaining weight

If you think these things are getting worse, talk to your child's doctor even if you have talked about it before.

American Academy of Pediatrics (1996). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Primary Care. Elk Grove Village, Illinois: Author.