Dieting/Body Image Problem

You said that you were concerned about your child's dieting or body image. You said that your child often diets or tries to lose weight by eating less. Your child may think s/he is overweight (even if his/her weight is average). S/he may think a lot about how s/he could get thinner. S/he may also have a fear of getting fat. S/he may not think that his/her dieting or weight loss is a problem. You should keep a close watch on what (and how much) your child eats. Children with more severe eating problems than your child have an eating disorder.

You said that your child does one or more of the following:

• Dieting when s/he does not need to lose weight
• Cutting back too much on food, too quickly
• Not growing or gaining weight as expected
• Often thinks too much about being thin
• Is afraid of becoming overweight
• Does not think his/her dieting or weight loss is a problem

Children who do some of the following are at risk for having eating problems:

• Gymnastics
• Figure Skating
• Dancing (Ballet)

Warning signs that things are getting worse:

Your child:

• continues to lose weight and refuses to try to gain weight.
• is very afraid of gaining weight or becoming fat
• stops menstruating (girls only).
• exercises way too much.

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.