EATING DISORDERS CAN BE PREVENTED
WHAT IS EATING DISORDERS PREVENTION?
Prevention is any systematic attempt to change the circumstances that promote, initiate, sustain, or intensify
problems like eating disorders.
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Primary prevention refers to programs or efforts that are designed to prevent the
occurrence of eating disorders before they begin. Primary prevention is intended to help
promote healthy development.
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Secondary prevention (sometimes called "targeted prevention") refers to programs or
efforts that are designed to promote the early identification of an eating disorder-to
recognize and treat an eating disorder before it spirals out of control. The earlier an
eating disorder is discovered and addressed, the better the chance for recovery.
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BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR THE PREVENTION OF EATING DISORDERS
Eating disorders are serious and complex problems. We need to be careful to avoid thinking of them in
simplistic terms, like "anorexia is just a plea for attention," or "bulimia is just an addiction to food."
Eating disorders arise from a variety of physical, emotional, social, and familial issues, all of which need
to be addressed for effective prevention and treatment.
Eating disorders are not just a "woman's problem" or "something for the girls." males who are preoccupied with
shape and weight can also develop eating disorders as well as dangerous shape control practices like steroid
use. In addition, males play an important role in prevention. The objectification and other forms of
mistreatment of women by others contribute directly to two underlying features of an eating disorder:
obsession with appearance and shame about one's body.
Prevention efforts will fail, or worse, inadvertently encourage disordered eating, if they concentrate solely
on warning parents and children about the signs, symptoms, and dangers of eating disorders. Effective
prevention programs must also address:
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Our cultural obsession with slenderness as a physical, psychological, and moral issue |
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The roles of men and women in our society |
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The development of people's self-esteem and self-respect in a variety of areas (school,
work, community service, hobbies) that transcend physical appearance
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Whenever possible, prevention programs for schools, community organizations, etc., should be coordinated with
opportunities for participants to speak confidentially with a trained professional and, where appropriate,
receive referrals to sources of competent, specialized care.
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10 THINGS PARENTS CAN DO TH HELP PREVENT EATING DISORDERS
Presented by Michael Levine, Ph.D.
at the 13th National NEDO Conference, Columbus, OH, Oct. 3, 1994
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1. Consider your thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors toward your own body and the way that
these beliefs have been shaped by the forces of weightism and sexism. Then educate
your children about:
| the genetic basis for the natural diversity of human body shapes and sizes |
| the nature and ugliness of prejudice. |
Make an effort to maintain positive, healthy attitudes and behaviors.
Children learn from the things you say and do!
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2. Examine closely your dreams and goals for your children and other loved ones. Are you
overemphasizing beauty and body shape, particularly for girls?
Avoid conveying an attitude which says in effect, "I will like you more if you lose
weight, don't eat so much, look more like the slender models in ads, fit into smaller
clothes, etc."
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Decide what you can do and what you can stop doing to reduce the teasing,
criticism, blaming, staring, etc. that reinforce the idea that larger or fatter is "bad"
and smaller or thinner is "good."
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3. Learn about and discuss these points with your sons and daughters:
| the dangers of trying to alter one's body shape through dieting |
| the value of moderate exercise for health |
the importance of eating a variety of foods in well-balanced meals consumed at
least three times a day.
Avoid categorizing foods into "good/safe/no-fat or low-fat" vs.
"bad/dangerous/ fattening."
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Be a good role model in regard to sensible eating, exercise, and
self-acceptance.
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4. Make a commitment not to avoid activities (such as swimming, sunbathing, dancing,
etc.) simply because they call attention to your weight and shape. Refuse to wear
clothes that are uncomfortable or that you don't like but you wear simply because they
divert attention from your weight or shape.
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5. Make a commitment to exercise for the joy of feeling your body move and grow stronger,
not to purge fat from your body or to compensate for calories eaten.
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6. Practice taking people seriously for what they say, feel, and do, not for how slender or
"well put together" they appear.
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7. Help children appreciate and resist the ways in which television, magazines, and other
media distort the true diversity of human body types and imply that a slender body
means power, excitement, popularity, or perfection.
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8. Educate boys and girls about various forms of prejudice, including weightism, and help
them understand their responsibilities for preventing them.
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9. Encourage your children to be active and to enjoy what their bodies can do and feel like.
Do not limit their caloric intake unless a physician requests that you do this because of
a medical problem.
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10. Do whatever you can to promote the self-esteem and self-respect of all of your children
in intellectual, athletic, and social endeavors. Give boys and girls the same opportunities
and encouragement. Be careful not to suggest that females are less important than
males, e.g., by exempting males from housework or childcare. A well-rounded sense of
self and solid self-esteem are perhaps the best antidotes to dieting and disordered
eating.
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For more information, see L. Smolak, & M.P. Levine. (1994). Toward an empirical basis for primary
prevention of eating problems with elementary school children. Eating Disorders: Journal of Treatment &
Prevention, 4, 293-307.
What Can You Do to Help Prevent Eating Disorders?
Don't Weigh Your Self-Esteem - It's What's Inside That Counts!
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Learn all you can about anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.
Genuine awareness will help you avoid judgmental or mistaken attitudes about food,
weight, body shape, and eating disorders.
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Discourage the idea that a particular diet, weight, or body size will automatically lead to
happiness and fulfillment.
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Choose to challenge the false belief that thinness and weight loss are great, while body
fat and weight gain are horrible or indicate laziness, worthlessness, or immorality.
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Avoid categorizing foods as "good/safe" vs. "bad/dangerous." Remember, we all need to
eat a variety of foods.
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Decide to avoid judging others and yourself on the basis of body weight or shape. Turn off
the voices in your head that tell you that a person's body weight says anything about
their character, personality, or value as a person.
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Avoid conveying an attitude that says, "I will like you better if you lose weight, or don't
eat so much, etc."
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Become a critical viewer of the media and its messages about self-esteem and body
image. Talk back to the television when you hear a comment or see an image that
promotes thinness at all costs. Rip out (or better yet, write to the editor about)
advertisements or articles in magazines that make you feel bad about your body shape
or size.
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If you think someone has an eating disorder, express your concerns in a forthright,
caring manner. Gently but firmly encourage the person to seek trained professional help.
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Be a model of healthy self-esteem and body image. Recognize that others pay attention
and learn from the way you talk about yourself and your body. Choose to talk about
yourself with respect and appreciation. Choose to value yourself based on your
accomplishments, talents, intentions, and character. Avoid letting the way you feel about
your body weight and shape determine the course of your day. Embrace the natural
diversity of human bodies and celebrate your body's unique shape and size.
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Support local and national nonprofit eating disorders organizations - like Eating Disorder
Awareness and Prevention, Inc. (EDAP) - by volunteering your time or giving a
tax-deductible donation.
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Source: Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention, Inc. 603 Stewart St., Suite 803, Seattle, WA 98101.
1-800-931-2237.
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