Anorexic Generation?

     In the latest terrifying news, a Telegraph article reports that anorexia is now plaguing children as young as five years old. Numbers from 35 England hospitals reveal that “2,000 children under 13 have been admitted to hospital with an eating disorder, nearly 200 of them between the ages of five and nine, with many more likely to be having treatment at home”. Specialists consequent these findings with the new push for healthy eating and the anti-obesity surge. The prevalent bullying of overweight children in schools may also be to blame for the startling data. As opposed to adults, children are less likely to withstand the disease, and many develop mild-retardation and stunted growth. The article points out that there are warning signs to watch out for , such as; withdrawal from family, wearing baggy clothes, cutting out food groups and eating only low-calorie foods.  Anorexia is genetic, however, there has to be an environmental “trigger” for the illness to manifest.
     The push for our kids to eat healthy is well-intended, but it is frightening what the consequences can be. Granted, there is much more of an epidemic of obesity than  there is of anorexia, but there are ways to help with both. Schools should educate children on health and not make actual weight the issue. I am guilty of pushing fruits and vegetables to my two nieces. In a culture where most of our food is processed, I feel it is the parents’ responsibility to foster good eating habits. There’s a way to educate our children on the importance of healthy food consumption but at the same time, avoiding the focus on the physical weight and appearance. When looking at media, it seems our society values the stick-thin figure, but it is urgent to enlighten our youth that these images are just unattainable and unrealistic.
     My 7-year old niece hates “pie crust and cheese” (though she loves cake and macaroni and cheese) and my 3-year old niece calls most food “yucky”. So, how do you differentiate between plain pickiness and a possible eating disorder? The article points out that “one critical difference is that picky eaters will still eat junk food such as chips, crisps and sweets. It’s when children cut out all carbohydrates as a food group that anorexia should be suspected, especially when that is accompanied by a marked change in behavior”. It is crucial to catch anorexia early on, because “in children of this age, can cause permanent growth-retardation, delay in reaching puberty and reduction of peak bone mass”.  Even scarier, our well intentions are to blame: “their illness to be exacerbated or even caused by the well-meaning actions of teachers. Pressing children to monitor their diets, body shapes and levels of physical activity increases anxiety about appearance and weight when there’s often no need”.
     News is often confusing. Are we suppose to worry about obesity or anorexia in our children? Which one are we most scared of? Both have dire consequences. Furthermore, who is to blame? The media, parents, culture? How do we protect our children? In my opinion, communication with our kids is key. Constant dialogue and openness is imperative. Establishing healthy coping methods is impertinent to building a healthy body image.