Teaching Kids the Truth About Weight Stigma
I can remember it like it was yesterday when one of the more popular girls in the class pinched my butt in front of several others and laughing, said, "There's a lot to pinch there!" And I know my father never meant any harm when he used to call me his "little fat buddy," but the words still cut deep.
I can remember like it was yesterday when one of the more popular girls in the class pinched my butt in front of several others and laughing, said, "There's a lot to pinch there!" And I know my father never meant any harm when he used to call me his "little fat buddy," but the words still cut deep. My mother was only trying to be helpful, and likely didn't know what else to do, when she signed us both up for Weight Watchers, me at the ripe age of 12. Because I was a heavier child, I'm sure she was trying to do the best she could, but it still made me feel ashamed, ugly and as if there was something wrong with my weight and appearance.
I think back to some of these moments now and KNOW they were contributing factors in some of the reasons why I struggled with my weight, my eating behaviors and my preoccupation with food and my body. That's why Weight Stigma Awareness Week is so important and this year's theme of Teaching Kids the Truth is so relevant. Children are so impressionable, and as mothers, fathers, teachers, health care providers, mentors and coaches, we have to learn how to talk to children about their bodies and their weight in a positive way.
Every year, the Binge Eating Disorder Awareness (BEDA) group hosts Weight Stigma Awareness week, and this year it is taking place on September 26th - 30th. They will be hosting several events online to support the cause.
Some of the featured events include:
Podcast hosted by Aaron Flores, RDN, featuring Carmen Cool, MA, LPC, and a group of teens and young adults discussing weight, health, bias and social justice
Clinical blog posts by Ashley Solomon, PsyD; Kathy Kater, LICSW, Jocelyn Lebow, Phd, Dr. Lauren Muhlheim PsyD, CEDS, PSY and Dr. Jennifer Copeland, PsyD
Personal narrative blog posts by Ragen Chastain, Kimberly Dark, Naomi Ortiz and Melissa Mazza
Video installment by Tammy Kremer portraying the effects of weight stigma and its impact on the BED cycle
Video by YouTube sensation and ED activist Matt Shepherd – stay tuned
You can find more information about these events on the BEDA website.
Help for Your Child
In addition, if you have a child struggling with body image issues, weight stigma, body shame, weight-related self-esteem issues, or obesity, and you're not sure how to talk with them about it, then you may consider seeking professional help. At Madden Wellness, I can meet with you, your child and the entire family in a safe, supportive environment to help your child understand weight stigma and find body acceptance. Please see the Child and Adolescent Problematic Eating Page for more information. Please contact me via the contact form for a Free Consultation.
National Family Meals Month
September is National Family Meals Month! This mission is all about taking initiative to encourage families to eat at the table together more often!
September is National Family Meals Month! This mission is all about taking initiative to encourage families to eat at the table together more often!
According to a recent poll, only 20% of American families with children eat together seven nights out of the week. In addition, only 75% percent of families are eating together at least four nights out of the week.
This campaign really hits home for me, because as a child, my family and I rarely ate together at the dinner table. It's not to say we never ate together at all, but most of the time it was sitting in the living room in front of the television. According to another poll, of families that ate together, 33% admitted the television was on during the entire course of the meal.
I'm not sure if this had any impact on some of my own disordered eating past, but I do know eating at the table together is something I've always longed for and wanted for my own family and home. In our first home, my husband and I had NO ROOM for a dining table in our Kitchen area, thus we were forced to eat in the Living Room -- usually in front of the television. Now that we've moved into a larger home with TWO dining areas, I still find it a difficult habit to break. I find myself eating in front of the television often. The times we do eat at the table it's difficult to even know how to converse with one another because we're both so used to the television keeping us entertained!
Eating at the table can have the following benefits for children and families (from www.takebackthetable.org):
Teens that dine with their families at least five times a week are almost one and half times less likely to report high levels of stress.
Teens who have frequent family meals are twice as likely to get A's in school.
Teens who have frequent family meals are one and a half times more likely to report an excellent relationship with their mother and father.
Teens who eat frequently with their families are less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs.
Studies show that teens who share at least 5 meals weekly with their family are 335% less likely to develop an eating disorder.
In addition, eating together as a family can also be great practice for mindful eating. Mindful eating involves eating without distraction, especially distractions form the television and other technology. One research study indicated the more tv we watch, the more weight we gain (source). They were also more likely to report having less satisfaction from their meal and not being able to remember how much they had consumed.
The Family Meals Together campaign requests for each family to take a pledge in increasing time spent together as a family at the dinner table. To take the pledge, simply do the follow:
1) Get your family together at the dinner table and say you're going to eat together more often (bonus if you make it at least 5 times a week).
2) Hold up a napkin with a family's name on it nominating them to take the pledge. Snap a photo or take a video!
3) Use #takebackthetable and tag your nominated family when you share you photo on social media sites!
That said, I'm pledging to all of you the same! I pledge that my husband and I will eat together at the dinner table, distraction free, at least 3 times a week. I'm also nominating all of you to take the pledge. Along with tagging your photos with #familymealsmonth and #takebackthetable, you can also tag them with #mwtakebackthetable for me to see YOUR pledges!
If you would like more help with Mindful Eating or for Family Interventions for your children and family, Madden Wellness offers Family Counseling for many different issues related to the eating behaviors of children and adolescents. Please click here to learn more information.
Click here for the FREE 7 Steps to Stress-Free Meal Planning Guide!
Amber Madden is a Licensed Counseling Associate specializing in Eating Disorders and Obesity. She is the Clinical Director at Madden Wellness Counseling, PLLC. She utilizes her skills in addiction to assist her clients in with Binge Eating, "food addictive" patterns, and develop a positive approach to overall health and wellness. She has a passion for assisting clients in achieving their health goals and learning to love nutritious foods and exercise. For more information visit www.maddenwellnessky.com .
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Childhood Obesity - 3 Family Interventions
Childhood obesity presents many health problems for youth, including early onset of puberty, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, abnormal glucose tolerance and risk of obesity as an adult. In addition to the health risks involved, children with obesity also face social stigma.
With the growing epidemic of obesity rates in the U.S., also comes the growing concern for childhood obesity. For children and adolescents aged 2-19 years, the prevalence of obesity has remained fairly stable at about 17% and affects about 12.7 million children and adolescents for the past decade (http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html).
Childhood obesity presents many health problems for youth, including early onset of puberty, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, abnormal glucose tolerance and risk of obesity as an adult. In addition to the health risks involved, children with obesity also face social stigma. In their school setting, they are bullied and excluded, which sometimes leads to low self-esteem, body image issues and withdrawing from social interactions.
Many factors influence and perpetuate childhood obesity, including relentless food advertising and less productivity initiatives through physical education in the education system. However, more and more research indicates a significant factor in childhood obesity rests with what occurs at the family level. Parental attitudes regarding diet and exercise, family lifestyle choices and an overall apathy regarding obesity as a health concern can be substantial contributors to childhood obesity. Prevention of childhood obesity is critical and should begin as early as possible.
Although clinical intervention is sometimes necessary, there are a number of steps parents and families can take to reduce the risks of childhood obesity through early intervention and prevention.
Incorporate health as a priority. The predictive factor in childhood obesity is parental obesity, meaning the children of overweight parents are most often overweight themselves. Children look towards their parents for guidance and as a means of learning what is acceptable behavior both in lifestyle decisions and making healthy choices. Educate your children regarding the importance of eating a balanced diet and getting exercise every day. Incorporate lessons to explain the importance, emphasizing longer life and staying healthier. Prepare and integrate healthier and more nutritious options into family meals. And remember – Practice what you preach! They will not take you seriously if they see you doing the opposite of what you’re telling them to do.
Limit sedentary activities. A survey of more than 1,600 U.S. parents was conducted by the YMCA of the USA. The survey showed that that 74% of children between the ages of 5 and 10 do not get enough exercise on a daily basis, based on the 60 minutes of daily physical activity recommended in the government’s Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. In addition, it showed about 50% of children 5-10 are watching at least two hours of TV a day more than five days a week, and spending an hour in front of a computer three days a week (http://www.webmd.com/children/news/20110414/most-young-kids-dont-get-enough-exercise).
These results indicate many parents are not placing an important enough focus on physical activity nor are they enforcing limits for their children’s “screen-time” activities. Parents need to incorporate activities at least 3-4 times a week, an hour each day. In addition, they should place limits on their children’s screen-time activities. Parents are encouraged to view these actions just as they would any other action for their children’s health. For example, it is routine for children to receive vaccinations from illness and disease, even if they do not like being stuck with a needle. Children should be held accountable for their time spent on technology sources because it is imperative for their long-term health, even if they do not like it.
Consider a Family Based Intervention (FBI) program. A research study initiated a Family Based Intervention program where 38 pairs of parents and their children were enrolled in a 12 – 16 week intervention program. Families were guided to create short- and long-term goals, as well as learn new skills like how to track their eating. Out of the 38 pairs, 24 completed the program and lost weight or showed improvement (Nauert, R., 2014).
FBI programs are a great way to seek professional services, but at discounted and affordable rates. Costs are usually divided among group participants. To participate in a FBI program, check with local clinics, health departments, YMCA’s and schools to see if there are similar programs offered in the area.
In addition, Madden Wellness Counseling also offers services for families and children regarding obesity and other childhood problematic eating patterns. You can find out more on our website.
References
Nauert PhD, R. (2014). Focusing on Families To Tackle Childhood Obesity. Psych Central. Retrieved on July 16, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/06/16/focusing-on-families-to-tackle-childhood-obesity/71273.html .
Amber Madden is a Licensed Counseling Associate specializing in Eating Disorders and Obesity. She is the Clinical Director at Madden Wellness Counseling, PLLC. She utilizes her skills in addiction to assist her clients in with Binge Eating, "food addictive" patterns, and develop a positive approach to overall health and wellness. She has a passion for assisting clients in achieving their health goals and learning to love nutritious foods and exercise. For more information visit www.maddenwellnessky.com .
