2008 July archive at The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt Blog

Less

More

« Older

Home

Loading

Newer »

Archive for July, 2008

Food Rituals: When Weird Becomes Harmful

The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt partnered with Seventeen Magazine to conduct a survey to look at disordered eating among young women between the ages of 13 and 20-years-old. Seventeen’s recent article, Are You a Freaky Eater?, published in the August 2008 issue, brings to light results gathered from the survey and also explores the nuances of, and behaviors associated with, “freaky eating” - systematic eating patterns categorized as “weird” and most frequently used as a coping mechanism to mask underlying mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety.

Certain experiences can trigger the onset of ritualistic eating patterns, such as a trauma or stressful event in a person’s life. One way an individual may cope with personal issues is by developing coping mechanisms like the one known as “freaky eating.” If not treated, these bizarre, yet calculated eating habits can spiral out of control, resulting in full-blown eating disorders.

When determining if an individual has developed obsessive regimented “rules” for eating, it’s best to look for common signs and symptoms that characterize their love/hate relationship with food. Recognizing these specific signs and symptoms can help individuals and families identify the need to seek appropriate professional treatment. “Freaky” eating behaviors and patterns to look out for include:

Cutting food into tiny pieces
Showing discomfort when eating in front of others
Labeling certain foods as good and other foods as bad - strictly avoiding the ‘bad’ foods
Not allowing certain foods to touch each other on the same plate
A desire to keep food habits or patterns as secretive or low-key as possible

A tumultuous relationship with food can cause an individual to experience low self esteem, cause social isolation due to avoidance of eating with others and can impair an individual’s mood as a result of decreased intake and/or concerns about intake.

If you’re concerned that a friend or family member may be developing an eating disorder as the result of unusual eating patterns, please take our online assessment.

Published by CED Editor
July 21st, 2008 in Editor's Picks, Body Image
0 Comments

“Do More and Talk Less” – Dianne Neumark-sztainer, University of Minnesota

Parents always want to do the right thing for their kids. In this culture of obesity, that generally means helping them make the right food choices and teaching them about healthy diet and exercise - right? Well, that all depends on your definition of “diet.” According to a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota, parents who encouraged their overweight adolescents to diet (the most common strategy used when dealing with an overweight teen) reported five years later that their children were still overweight, further supporting that the dieting strategy is prone to backfiring.

With parents’ increased concern about their children’s weight, researchers of this study decided to focus on weight-related parenting behaviors, focusing on parents who accurately saw their children’s weight, as well as those who did not. The results of the study indicated that even if parents accurately understood that their child was obese, they were not more likely to engage in behaviors which might help their child to develop healthier habits in relation to food and exercise.

While some experts believe that school evaluations assessing a child’s weight are key components in fighting the rising rates of obesity, the Minnesota research study shows otherwise. The tried-and-true are still the best methods to help kids build healthy habits:

Provide and eat healthy foods in the house
Have regular family meals
Be physically active with your kids

For more information on this study, check out the Pediatrics Journal.

buy levitra
buy cialis
buy clomid
buy lipitor
online pharmacy

viagra, levitra, cialis, clomid

Published by Sarah Blake
July 2nd, 2008 in Body Image
Closed