1. ~Eating Disorders~ By: Katelyn Carney

2. Introduction http://youtu.be/RF_gTaC_nmU

3. The BIG Question: How can we prevent or stop eating disorders in adolescents?

4. Parents can be a HUGE preventive step… Parents are the prime examples for their children. Therefore, if a parent is too judgmental over their own looks, and are obsessed with dieting, then their children are more likely to develop eating disorders or body dysmorphia. Body Dysmorphia- When a person is obsessed with how their body looks and dieting. This disorder will usually lead to eating disorders if not properly taken care of.

5. Eating Disorders When "how-I-look" becomes more important than "who-I-am," the groundwork is laid for crippling and life- threatening eating disorders. YOUNG TEENS (ESPECIALLY GIRLS) ARE BEING PRESSURED TO LOOK LIKE THESE MODELS…BUT NOT EVERYONE LOOKS THAT WAY!!!!

6. Tips for Prevention in Adolescents Don't reinforce the message that women have to look a certain way; Teach girls how their bodies change during adolescence and that it is normal to gain weight during puberty; Talk about images of women in the media and how they are unrealistic for most, if not all, women; Take women and girls seriously for what they say, feel, and do, not for how slim they are or how they look; Encourage children to be active as a way to have fun and to enjoy what their bodies can do; Exercise with your children to promote a healthy family lifestyle; If Barbie were a real person…this is what she would look like… Talk about UNREALISTIC!!

7. Prevention…Cont’d Model healthy attitudes Girls need to see women who are satisfied with their bodie and appearance or who take positive and healthy steps toward making changes. Girls who see their mothers worrying about their own appearance and weight are more likely to believe that being thin will make them happy. Don't nag about eating or focus on eating habits, which could make a child more self-conscious and secretive about her relationship with food Don't compare her to others and don't be judgmental about other people's weight

8. Its All in Your Head… DIED “Afterward, I would weigh myself and look in the mirror. I can remember thinking, 'Nope, still fat!” (Words from a girl that DIED from Bulimia) Eating Disorders are being preoccupied with diet, weight and being thin. Developing this preoccupation can lead to an excessive loss of weight as a result of decreased consumption of food and water.

9. Mind of an Eating Disorder-POEM “Why can’t I be thin and beautiful like all of those models I see on TV, magazine covers, and billboards? Everywhere I look I see what I will never be. I just want to fit in, be accepted for who I am. I want people to see that I am trying, fighting, and dying. I smile, I laugh in public. No one even knows of the hell I am enduring, the pain I am masking. When I look inside of you mirror, I want to scream and break you into a thousand pieces. All I see are my flaws. I don’t expect to be perfect. I just want to be me…a THIN, healthy beautiful me. Not this demon inside- silently eating me alive. I hate food, I hate me. I hate scales. I hate jeans! I am high then I am low. My moods can never seem to stay at happy. Every second I worry about my weight. The amount of calories I take in. If I take in too many, I SCREAM, tear at my skin, and scare everyone around me. I hate looking at other woman and see them STRUT their ‘perfect’ body. Laughing, smiling, and appearing SO happy with their life. WHY CAN’T I HAVE THAT? Mirror, Mirror on the wall…I know I am a pretty girl. Help me to please see the good personality I have. help others see the goodness. Mirror, mirror gives me eyes to see the ‘Fairest One of All’ in me.”

10. Eating Disorders are Deadly… http://youtu.be/5_47sLoAmZU This is a very serious issue. Its NOT just about the eating disorder, but it’s about something that has triggered an eating disorder to be acted upon. BULLYING. ABUSE. & PEER PRESSURE. Most important!!!!!!!!! Most important!!!!!!!!! Don't ignore an eating disorder. It is a devastating and potentially fatal disease. But people can and do recover from this illness, once it is correctly diagnosed and treated. If you are a mature woman with an eating disorder, talk to a health care provider for guidance. Support groups may also be helpful.