Dieting & Body Image

Are you a healthy weight? How can you tell?

Body Image= How you see your body and the way you feel about it.

Eating Disorders Mental illnesses related to nutrition Up to 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U.S

15% of women have an eating disorder. 8 million Americans have an eating disorder. About 1 million of them are men.

75-90% of women and 10-25% of men are dissatisfied with their body.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE TOP REASONS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE A POOR BODY IMAGE??

#1 Media/Social Pressures

The “Thin is In” message is not directly the CAUSE of eating disorders, but the images and people portrayed in media help to create the “IDEAL” that people learn to place a value on the size and shape of their body.

Average US resident is exposed to about 5,000 advertising messages a day Estimated 60% of caucasian middle school girls read at least one fashion magazine regularly… WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO KNOW?? Average young adolescent watches 3-4 hours of TV per day A study of 4,294 network TV commercials revealed that 1 out of every 3.8 commercials sent some sort of “attractiveness” message

Marilyn Monroe vs. Courtney/Jennifer

*Marilyn Monroe fluctuated between sizes She was healthy and didn’t look fat to anybody. *The average model/TV star today is between a size 0-4.

*Only 2% of the population can even look like the 5’11”, 110 lbs. super models. So why do so many people try to look like them!? In fact, the average woman is 5’6”, 165 lbs., and wears a size 12-16!

What else in the media isn’t real…

What else in the media isn’t real…

Anorexia Extreme weight loss and lack of eating. Usually involves a distorted body image

Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25 50% of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight 80% of 13-year-olds have attempted to lose weight

Stereotypes of Anorexics Most anorexics are: Female Young But, anorexia can occur in any group Men Older people Any race

Why does someone develop anorexia? Anxiety/Stress Low Self-Esteem/Unhappiness Controlling Family Members Family Emphasis on Physical Appearance Mother Had Eating Disorder Perfectionism

Bulimia Purging to lose weight Purging: forcing yourself to get rid of the food you eat. Purging usually means making yourself vomit, but it can also be taking laxatives to cause diarrhea or over exercising.

Bulimia Binging is when you eat tons of food, then purge Bulimia is a often more an issue of stress and emotion, not body image—they just want control over some part of their life

WHY WOULD A PERSON BINGE? To Fill a Void Inside To Hide Negative Emotions

Why would a person purge? *Because of guilt and depression of having binged.

Warning Signs of Bulimia: Worried about body weight Excessive food consumption Frequent trips to the bathroom after eating Blood shot eyes Sore throat Dental problems (tooth enamel wears away) Exercises excessively Irregular menstrual periods Depression and/or mood swings

Disordered Eating PICA- the regular consumption of nonfood substances such as clay or laundry starch geophargia: clay or dirt eating amylophagia: laundry starch or cornstarch plumbism: consumption of lead containing paint chips

How to Lose Weight… Eat Less/Choose Healthy Food & Exercise More

Dieting Safety Do not lose more than 1-2 pounds per week Avoid “fad” diets Don’t skip meals or go hungry Talk to your doctor first! Good diets aren’t temporary—they are lifestyle changes that you can maintain forever

Should Kids Diet? Dieting interferes with puberty It’s normal and healthy for kids to gain fat before a growth spurt Kids should not diet because they have an increased risk of: Developing an eating disorder Depression Being overweight as an adult If you are eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise, don’t worry about your weight until you are an adult

Fad Diets Dangerous diets that promise easy weight loss

How Can You Identify a Fad Diet? 1.If they are selling a product 2.If it isn’t intended to be a lifelong diet 3.If it says that exercise isn’t needed 4.If it blames one food, or says one food will make you skinny 5.If it promises “spot reduction” 6.Beware of magazines, books, and websites 99.99% of them are QUACKERY

Why are Fad Diets dangerous? 1.Lose weight too quickly 2.Don’t get adequate nutrition 3.Lose muscle and water, not fat 4.Use dangerous products 5.Result in you gaining weight once you stop the diet