Save Your Family from Eating Disorders

The seeds of healthy eating habits are sowed at home since childhood. A child grows up and develops eating habits as reflected by other members of the family. Any disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight by people around in the family might send wrong signals and misconceptions about eating behavior. These misconceptions once imprinted in young minds may have lifelong serious implications on behavioral patters like triggering off eating disorders.

Eating disorder is a complex and chronic medical condition which may not be necessarily linked to food consumption or weight gain. It is rather the outer surface or fissure of an underlying physical or psychological problem. A person suffering from eating disorder anorexia, technically termed anorexia nervosa is characterized by severe weight loss, either by severe restriction in food consumption or excessive exercising to the point of significant physiological consequences. An anorexia patient refuses to maintain a normal body weight, and is intensely afraid of gaining weight, even if they are underweight. They develop unusual eating habits such as avoiding food and skipping meals; picking out a few foods and eating these in small quantities, or carefully weighing and portioning food. This process of deliberate self-starvation results in malnutrition leading to protein deficiency and multiple organ failure. If not treated in time anorexia can become a lifelong illness and long-term or severe anorexia can lead to other serious health problems and even death.

Studies have shown that eating disorders can be tackled in its initial stages right within the family circle. You can save your family from eating disorders by: • Maintaining a healthy attitude towards maintaining body fitness rather than fussing about weight and appearances. • Making children understand their physiology and to love and accept their bodies; by being encouraging and supportive and help to build their self-esteem. • Protecting the children and help them to cope up with any eventualities of physical and sexual abuse – presumed to be an important cause behind eating disorders. • Never being critical about body weight either by comparison or by imposing a diet regime. • Having regular timings for a family meal where all the members share quality time and also develop a sense of emotional bonding. • Lastly, the elders in the family should take the responsibility of being the trendsetter and be involved in healthy eating patterns.

Eating disorders that arise from a combination of prolonged behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors can be treated and a healthy weight restored. Mostly persons with eating disorders do not voluntarily feel the need for treatment. So family and friends need to play an active role for a successful treatment. Eating disorders require a comprehensive treatment plan involving medical care and monitoring, psychosocial interventions, nutritional counseling and medication.

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