Have you ever noticed that babies don't have a trace of body image insecurity? They play, giggle with glee and just delight in themselves. How can it be that 40 to 60% of preteens and adolescents report being dissatisfied with their bodies? What happens between infancy and adolescent years that transform that joy to insecurity? And, how can we help kids navigate toward healthy attitudes and choices related to food and weight in this weight and diet trend obsessed culture?

We've learned a lot working with more than over 10,000 women and girls suffering with eating disorders for the past 20 years. For instance, (1) eating disorders including body image issues are complex and involve a myriad of interrelated contributing factors, (2) physical perfection has no form and, therefore, can never be attained, (3) popular media and marketing will never let you believe this, and (4) friends and family are too often the worst sounding board for negative thoughts about body image.

Dissatisfaction with physical appearance is a growing trend among females and males and effecting younger ages. Bedford and Johnson (2006) compared body image concerns in younger and older women and revealed no age-related differences in body dissatisfaction.

Where does all this start?
It is not so easy to point to one influence on children. The influencing factors of weight related and body image issues are complex. Eating disorders and obesity are caused by many factors that interact with each other. Individual characteristics, including genetics and temperament, family factors, peer influences, community factors, and societal factors all may play roles in causing weight related issues and body dissatisfaction. Numerous studies confirm that body dissatisfaction is closely linked to self-esteem in adolescents, more so than in adults. Thus, if a teen is struggling with body dissatisfaction, it may interfere in the development one's self-concept and sense of identity. Regardless of our levels of sensitivity to our own imperfections, vulnerability to criticism increases during the developmental years as puberty brings both physical and emotional changes. Society's narrow standard of beauty confuses most children. We often hear teen girls say…"Those images are living inside of me; how am I supposed to be feminine without being overly sexual?", "How do I see my strengths apart from my looks?"

Studies indicate a growing trend of preteen girls believe they must restrict their food intake to become thinner and they just can't measure up. This internalized sabotaging critic may be carried throughout life. As example, Brown & Slaughters' (2011) study examined body attractiveness and normality in females ages 4 to 26 and found that all age groups rated photos of women who were significantly thinner as more attractive than women they viewed in normal weight ranges.

It is clear that given the countless ways children are bombarded with messages that reinforce negative body image, parents play a powerful role in shaping weight-related ideals and must start within themselves to encourage healthy perceptions, beliefs and actions in their children. Schuman (2010), a recent study of the correlation between parents' weight related ideals found that parents' overt and covert restriction of children's food intake were significantly associated with child body dissatisfaction. The research demonstrates that both direct and indirect parent weight-related attitudes and behaviors can negatively influence a child's body satisfaction.

What can you do? The following is a list of ten ways to help children build resilience, make healthy food choices, and maintain positive body awareness.

Inner Dialogue
Pay attention to your own inner dialogue related to body and weight attitudes - they are directly linked to a child's inner sense of "fit" inside their own body and attitudes related to weight and food choices. Listen, process, and engage. Listen to how your child speaks to herself/himself during play - you can learn a lot about how they are processing emotions and resolving conflict. Purposeful play can be a vehicle to introduce respect and regard for diversity of body sizes and people in general. It is never too early. These are precious times to engage this developmental phase to build bridges of healthy cognitive functioning including healthy body awareness and image!

Puberty
Body Image is influenced throughout our lives by multiple factors. Puberty experiences and changes greatly influence body image and can remain fairly constant through life. Puberty brings windows of opportunity to guide as the body changes and the desire to meet expectations of "fitting in" intensifies. This is a perfect time to emphasize appreciation for different body sizes and shapes. Parental modeling of this is a powerful teaching tool.

Sites like Kidshealth.com provide creative ways to talk about questions related to body, growth and esteem. They can also teach kids how to respond to peers who may be overly focused on unhealthy ideals.

Sports and Games
Kids who are involved in athletic endeavors tend to have a healthier body image than those who don't. Encourage parents to involve kids in fun and doable sports that will challenge, and provide experience of mastery. These activities will help kids find their own unique physical strengths and provide excellent ways to reduce stress and increase mood and energy levels.

Modeling Body Gratitude
You are the most powerful model for your children. Teach them ways they can appreciate about their own bodies and its function. It is important they see you living in your body in peace. For example, catching you smiling at yourself in the mirror, or expressing gratitude for your strong legs, bright smile, and skillful hands.

Critical Thinking Skills
Media messages about food and bodies are often distorted and kids are the most vulnerable to these messages. But, not if they are taught to be watchdogs of the media! Help them question advertisement messages and use "talk back" techniques with your kids when hearing messages that both discourage healthy realistic attitudes and behaviors related to eating and weight. The National Eating Disorders Association has project ideas to build resilience and tips on how to be proactive against negative media messages.

The Whole Picture
Take a realistic approach to your family's heath. Identify free seminars on nutrition and activity lifestyles for families. Parents have the most difficult job in the world. Lead kids to resources that provide building blocks for healthier choices. Balance, variety and moderation are wise templates to help kids create their own internal healthful boundaries with food and weight. There are multiple tools that are free and easily available to guide families to making the right choices to improve eating and exercise health and to make the best of their bodies! Bodyworks at www.womenshealth.gov is one excellent resource.

Genes versus Jeans
Broaden understanding of the influence of genetics on body types. Biological traits speak a great deal to body shape and individual frames. We all benefit from knowing the "how to's" of working with our genes versus the energy, time and failed attempts to be something they are not. Keep the goal on body health and move away from fitting a form that is not true to you. What's on the inside is what counts.

Family Adventure
Include activities that promote physical movement as well as problem solving and communication skills. Experiential and adventure activities help families get "out of the box" and get into new awareness and learning through fun challenges.

Tool Kits
More than ever kids need guidance and assistance related to overall health and nutrition. Keep your resources plentiful. Include updates of online and community resources such as free educational seminars on nutrition, family stress busters, healthy esteem and body image enhancers.

Red Flags
Know the warning signs that might indicate over concern with poor or distorted body image. This may indicate deeper problems. Sometimes it is difficult to see the forest through the trees and even committed parents may miss early detectors indicating a concern. One behavior does not cause eating disorders; however, some behaviors can be an indicator that one could be more vulnerable to an eating disorder. Some of these include:

• Anxiety that does not resolve


• Isolation and withdrawal


• Extreme change of attitude and mood


• Unrelenting disparaging talk about hating their body


• Increasing rigidity about food to point of cutting out healthy and needed food for proper growth


• Over-exercise and calorie counting that seems obsessive


• Strict and fad dieting practices

Visit www.remudaranch.com to learn more about the indicators of both eating and anxiety disorders in youth. View our calendar of free continuing educational events for treatment professionals in your area.

References:
Bedford, J.L., & Johnson, C.S. (2006). Societal influences on body image dissatisfaction in younger and older women. Journal of Women and Aging, 18, 41-55.
Brown, F., & Slaughter, V. (2011). Normal body, beautiful body: Discrepant perceptions reveal a pervasive 'thin ideal' from childhood to adulthood. Body Image, 8, 119-125
Schuman, S. (2010). Weight-Related Attitudes and Behaviors: Influence on Child and Adolescent Body Dissatisfaction. University of Florida Journal of Psychological Science, 1, 24-43.


About the Authors: Dr. Deborah Russo, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist working with Remuda's Education Outreach Department as a member of the National Speaker's Bureau and writing for both clinical and alumni audiences as well. Amy Spahr is the Executive Clinical Director at Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders. For more information, contact Chelle Floyd, Professional Relations Representative, at 800-445-1900 x4502, (Direct Line: 928-668-4502). www.remudaranch.com