Adolescents and Eating Disorders
As learned through the reading of the textbook, eating disorders are more common in adolescents rather than adulthood. This could be due to the parents. If the parents exhibit bad eating behaviors the child may mimic this and worry about food intake, weight, image, etc. Many of the adolescents affected are teenagers. There are a lot of hormones changing in their body and they tend to worry more about what others think. They may use food to feel in control of their life and limiting their in take makes them feel better. Encouraging good eating habits from a young age, building self esteem and teaching children about body image can help prevent this growing problem. It is hard for teens to feel good about themselves when on social media many people portrayed are extremely fit and do not fit the majority of the population. Early education is key to helping this crisis. Eating disorders and adolescents - Better Health Channel