Avalon Hills Blog

Unfortunately teenage dieting is not just a phase that we can hope they will eventually grow out of. According to a study, unhealthy eating practices arising from eating disorders that are developed during the teenage years are more likely to persist into early adulthood and even further.

Project Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults (or Project EAT) is a 10-year study conducted by the University of Minnesota. Project EAT is the first study that kept track of eating and weight control behaviors, spanning from the teenage years to young adulthood. The purpose of the study is to look into eating and activity levels, as well as weight levels of teenagers. The study encompassed over 2,000 participants with 1,257 females and 1,030 males, with a third of the participants having a mean age of 12.8 years at the onset.

Key Findings

These participants were between 12 to 16 years old at the time the study began. And findings showed that unhealthy eating and weight control habits that these adolescents developed during their teens tend to persist into adulthood. These results underscore the importance of being able to prevent, identify and treat eating disorders during the teenage years.

• Approximately half of the female participants and one-fourth of the male participants stated that they were dieting within the past year at the start of the survey.
• Dieting habits in females remained somewhat constant from the teenage years to adulthood.
• Among females, unhealthy weight control habits (such as skipping of meals and the use of diet pills) also stayed steady into these participants’ young adulthood with a slight decrease during the middle adolescence. However, the prevalence of unhealthy dieting practices is still quite high (decreasing to 54.4% from 60.7%).
• As for males, dieting habits remained constant throughout the period with a considerable rise in dieting beginning from their mid-teens to middle young adulthood. Showing that males are more likely to start dieting when they reach their early to mid-20s.
• The prevalence of unhealthy dieting practices climbed from 2.1% to 7.3%, with binge eating rising from 3% to 5.9%.

Importance of Early Action

The lead author of the research, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, emphasized the role of parents and responsible adults to diminish the occurrence of bad eating and dieting. Parents should be on the lookout for early warning signs and should also encourage their children to have a healthy body image. The study also shows the importance of getting help early for things such as anorexia treatment or bulimia treatment.

Some warning signs that often show that a teen may need eating disorder treatment include an excessive preoccupation with one’s weight and appearance, obsession about counting calories, going to the toilet after meals, avoidance of eating or lying about how much he or she has eaten and over-exercising.

Although we are aware of the fight against obesity in the United States we strongly encourage the right habits and methods of doing so should be promoted. Teens should be given the information about how unhealthy weight control methods and dieting actually have a negative effect.

Help for Eating Disorders

Concerned parents can get help for eating disorders through Avalon Hills. Avalon Hills eating disorder treatment center is committed to providing holistic treatment to help teens and adults triumph over eating disorders.

Avalon Hills aims to treat anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders by changing the way they see themselves, their bodies and their surroundings. This is done by helping them towards positive change through new information, new experiences and new insights. By developing a new mindset towards positive change, one is more resistant towards the negative influences that can sometimes cause the eating disorders.

Avalon Hills’ treatment program uses a combination of psychotherapy (both group and individual), animal assisted therapy, outdoor challenges, activities focused on self-expression, tackling body and food fears and more.

Millions of Americans suffer from eating disorders, known as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). An estimated 90% + are adolescent and young women, though men and adults suffer from eating disorders as well. Eating disorders have serious mental and physical health consequences including death. In fact anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. (http://www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org/documents/TalkingpointsEatingDisordersFactSheet.pdf)

A Quick Look at Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders refer to a group of conditions defined by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual’s physical and mental health. Bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are the most common specific forms in the United States.

Anorexia nervosa. This eating disorder is characterized by a person’s refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and often co-occurs with a fear of gaining weight.

Bulimia nervosa. This is often marked by bingeing and then trying to get rid of the food by taking laxatives or inducing vomiting.

Complications by disorder-

Eating disorders have a serious effect on one’s health and wellbeing.  The risk of death for anorexia and bulimia patients can be significant.

Anorexia complications. Among eating disorders, anorexia has many serious effects which may result in death. The death risks are even more pronounced for people who are: young, prone to sickness within the last 6 years or so, already low in weight at the time of the anorexia treatment, and those who also engage in behaviors such as purging, and also have a severe psychological or co-occuring disorder.

Some effects of anorexia include; hormonal changes that result in the absence of menstruation (in females), bone loss or osteoporosis, loss of muscle mass and in some, infertility.

Anorexia is also closely linked with heart problems, such as; slowness of the heartbeat- leading to the starvation of heart muscles. Those who have anorexia are also prone to depression, substance abuse and even suicide. One of the other effects of anorexia is an imbalance of the key minerals and electrolytes needed in the body. In anorexia, these electrolyte imbalance often results in organ failure.

Other complications linked with anorexia may include; constipation, bloating, sensitivity to temperatures, hair loss and fine body hair growth.

Bulimia complications. Bulimia also has serious complications, many of which are life-threatening. Complications include problems with digestion (often causing or from developing a dependence on laxatives ), stomach distress, abdominal bloating, acute tooth decay, irregularity or absence of menstruation and heart problems (including heart failure and irregular heartbeat).

Frequent vomiting can cause the rupture of the esophagus. Excessive exercise, laxative abuse or vomiting may also result in severely low levels of potassium that can result in weakness, even to the point of paralysis. Bulimia has been known to cause erratic heart rhythms that can often be fatal.

Bulimia also has psychological complications that lead to self-destructive behavior such as substance abuse or alcohol abuse, as well as impulsive and self-injurious behaviors.

Prompt Action towards Wellness

Due to the complications and severities of these disorders, eating disorders should be taken seriously and prompt action towards the treatment of eating disorders.  This is necessary before things  become more serious or life threatening. Often, eating disorders are linked to deep-rooted psychological issues and these must be addressed to properly to provide  treatment for bulimia, treatment for anorexia and other eating disorder treatment.

Avalon Hills is an eating disorder treatment center that provides a holistic approach towards these eating problems, not just aiming towards treating the symptoms of the disorder, but also the deep-rooted issues that lie behind these. Avalon Hills provides a wealth of experience, information and insights into these complex disorders.

Our program for anorexia and bulimia treatment has a program based on the individual’s needs.  The treatment program provides a combination of animal assisted therapy, psychotherapy and other experiential therapies, the program aims to provide the patient with the skills in order to manage and cope with the stress and underlying factors that contributed to their eating disorders.

Given the serious health risks and complications of eating disorders those dealing with these disorders should act promptly and seek eating disorder treatment.

There is a saying that says that “having children is like having your heart permanently pinned on your sleeve”. There are many things that can cause parents to fear for their children, particularly when the children are reaching the teenage years and certain stages of development. Unfortunately, more and more parents are seeing their children afflicted with an eating disorder – which range from anorexia nervosa to bulimia to binge eating.

With all the pressures that your child may face, whether it is peers, media, siblings, the stresses of being a teenager and other genetic factors that are out of your control, it is frightening to recognize that he or she may be susceptible to an eating disorder. Eating disorders can strike any family, regardless of race, socioeconomic class or group, faith, ethnicity or culture. There is a rise in the prevalence of these illnesses in males as well.

Eating disorders pose serious health risks. These illnesses promote unhealthy behaviors that can have serious physical implications, particularly among teens. For instance, anorexia nervosa can result in malnutrition and bone loss, which can ones growth and development.

When signs and symptoms are present, parents seek eating disorder treatment to help their child or loved one.

Here are some signs that indicate the need to get eating disorder help:

- An obsession with being “thin”

- A compulsion to count calories and/or nutritional content of the food they are eating

- Weight loss that may be sudden or extreme

- Lack of appetite

- Keeping away from social occasions where food is involved, or isolating in other situations

- Bouts of dieting or consistent dieting

- Going to the bathroom during or after meals

- Spending a long time in the bathroom after meals

- Rarely admits he or she is hungry or alternatively, always hungry and eating but never gaining weight

- For bulimics, scrapes, scratches or calluses in the hand caused by inducing vomiting

- Redness of the eyes caused by broken blood vessels

- Food missing from the pantry or the refrigerator. This can also be marked by the child’s tendency to hoard or hide food in unlikely places.

- For girls, the absence of or irregular menstruation

- Frequent upset stomach

- Problems sleeping

- Bloating in the face and swollen hands or feet

- Yellowish skin

- Skin that is dry and hair that is thinning, dry or brittle

- Severe teeth problems

Promoting a healthy body image

Parents don’t generally cause eating disorders but you can watch for the symptoms as well as understand the importance of promoting a healthy body image. One important step is for parents to model healthy eating habits and behavior. Parents should avoid showing their children that they themselves are pre-occupied with their weight and appearance. Parents should also develop a healthy, loving relationship with their children and encourage open communication.

Here are other tips to help promote a good body image:

- Limit the use food as part of your discipline strategy. Food should not always be used to punish or reward a child for his or her behavior.

- Encourage exercise, but emphasize that it is for health purposes and because exercise is fun. Don’t encourage your child to exercise because he or she “needs to lose weight”.

- Limit unnecessary or extravagant compliments that are based on the child’s appearance. This may promote a value system that puts a premium exclusively on appearance and not on other aspects of a child’s personality. Focus instead on character qualities, such as friendliness, honesty, diligence or kindness.

- Focus on what your child does well – if he or she excels in a certain area or has a particular talent.

- Be alert for signs of an eating disorder.

- Educate your child about the negative health effects of an eating disorder

- Gently ask open questions without making your child feel that he or she is being judged.

Getting Help for Eating Disorders

Parents can also get treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia and other eating disorders. If you see your child exhibiting signs of an eating disorder, it is best to have him or her evaluated so a diagnosis can be made. That way, your child can find help or find a  treatment program for an eating disorder.

Avalon Hills may be an option to get the treatment that your child needs. Avalon Hills is an eating disorder treatment center that provides a wealth of experiences that are aimed towards developing healthy behaviors and thinking that helps in overcoming the behaviors that are a part of the eating disorders.

Avalon Hills provides crucial help for anorexia nervosa, bulimia and other eating disorders. Some elements of the treatment program include individual and group psychotherapy, nutritional assessment and consultations, animal assisted therapy, psycho-educational classes, medical components and more.

No matter what age your child is, it’s important to start teaching them good eating habits.  With these habits your children will be healthier and have a positive relationship with food.  If a child doesn’t have strong healthy habits they may eventually need eating disorder help.  Of course, not all of these children will, but it’s more likely for a child or teen to seek anorexia treatment or bulimia disorder help, if they don’t have healthy eating habits.

The best time to start teaching your children about good eating habits is when they’re young.  However, it can be started at any age.  It’s just important that parents start the process before their children have developed several negative eating habits.  It’s not impossible to start at that point; it’s just much harder to get them to embrace the habits.  Teaching new habits is easier than transforming habits.

One of the best ways to teach your child, especially when they’re young, is to be a good role model.  The “do as I say, not as I do” approach is far from being effective.  When children are young they have a strong tendency to imitate.  If a parent tells a child to eat their vegetables while the parent eats greasy chips, the child is less likely to follow the instructions.

A parent should eat the healthy foods they want their children to eat, such as vegetables, fruits, fish, and other helthy foods.  Another important element of being a good role model is eating balanced meals.  A parent should eat balanced meals as often as possible instead of eating only the pieces of a balanced meal throughout the day.

There are several practices that can help a child of any age learn about healthy eating habits.  One is to have regular family meals.  This means the family sits down together and eats a healthy meal close to the same time every day.  Keeping up with a scheduled time to eat dinner can help the children understand that meals should be eaten regularly.  Having the entire family together also enhances appetite and comforts children.

It’s important that the family meals are home made.  Making a meal every night can be time consuming, but it’s better for everyone in your family.  Overall, home cooked meals are healthier.  Many restaurant or fast food meals have more salt and fat in them.  Your child will also get into the habit of making food instead of buying fast food.

Another option for parents is to involve their children in food-related activities.  These activities may include packing school lunches, making dinner, or grocery shopping.  All of these activities give parents the chance to talk to their children about eating healthy.  They can learn about the importance of certain foods in a daily diet.  While helping out in the kitchen, they can also learn about healthy cooking habits.

These ways of teaching children about healthy eating habits all require the parents’ presence.  However, parents aren’t able to be with their children every second of the day.  A great way to teach your children about healthy eating while you’re not home is to have healthy snacks around.  Stocking your pantry with healthy drinks and food will subtly teach your children.  They will get used to grabbing a healthy snack when they’re hungry.  As they get older they’re more likely to choose healthy snacks because that’s what they’re used to eating.

These are just a few ways to teach children about healthy eating.  It’s very important to teach your children healthy eating habits because it can help avoid the development of an eating disorder.  It’s better to avoid an eating disorder than to treat one once it’s firmly developed. However if it’s come to your attention that your child or teen has developed an eating disorder, there is help. Avalon Hills has the best eating disorder treatment for those that suffer from eating disorders and want to help.