Submitted by one of my colleagues at Associated Counseling Professionals, Pam Feldman, LIMHP
This is Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
Did you know that 42% of third grade girls report wanting to be thinner? Eighty per cent of children age 10 are worried about being fat. The incidence rate of eating disorders among males is increasing as well. Of the over 8 million Americans with Eating Disorders, about 1 million are men.
At the core of this very complex and dangerous disorder is an unhealthy preoccupation withfgood and weight that damages a person’s physical and emotional health, self-esteem, sense of competence and control. Society’s emphasis on beauty, thinness, and perfection trigger the devaluing of ourselves.
So what can we do?
- Encourage balanced eating of a variety of foods in moderation.
- Modify expectations of appearance by learning to love and accept ourselves and others.
- Look beyond the body. Focus on the value of your own and other’s positive traits.
- Recognize and stop negative or self-critical comments about weight, eating, and body image.
