NEDA TOOLKIT for Parents
Dieting is normal adolescent behavior
While fad dieting or body image concerns have
become “normal” features of adolescent life in Western
cultures, dieting or frequent and/or extreme dieting
can be a risk factor for developing an eating disorder. It
is especially a risk factor for young people with family
histories of eating disorders and depression, anxiety, or
obsessive-compulsive disorder. A focus on health,
wellbeing, and healthy body image and acceptance is
preferable. Any dieting should be monitored.
Anorexia is “dieting gone bad”
Anorexia has nothing to do with dieting. It is a life-
threatening medical/psychiatric disorder.
A person with anorexia never eats at all
Most anorexics do eat; however, they tend to eat
smaller portions, low-calorie foods, or strange food
combinations. Some may eat candy bars in the morning
and nothing else all day. Others may eat lettuce and
mustard every 2 hours or only condiments. The
disordered eating behaviors are very individualized.
Total cessation of all food intakes is rare and would
result in death from malnutrition in a matter of weeks.
Only people of high socioeconomic status get
eating disorders
People in all socioeconomic levels have eating
disorders. The disorders have been identified across all
socioeconomic groups, age groups,
You can tell if a person has an eating disorder
simply by appearance
You can’t. Anorexia may be easier to detect visually,
although individuals may wear loose clothing to
conceal their body. Bulimia is harder to “see” because
individuals often have normal weight or may even be
overweight. Some people may have obvious signs, such
as sudden weight loss or gain; others may not. People
with an eating disorder can become very effective at
hiding the signs and symptoms. Thus, eating disorders
can be undetected for months, years, or a lifetime.
Eating disorders are about appearance and
beauty Eating disorders are a mental illness and have little to
do with food, eating, appearance, or beauty. This is
indicated by the continuation of the illness long after a
person has reached his or her initial ‘target’ weight.
Eating disorders are usually related to emotional issues
such as control and low self-esteem and often exist as
part of a “dual” diagnosis of major depression, anxiety,
or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Eating disorders are caused by unhealthy and
unrealistic images in the media
While sociocultural factors (such as the ‘thin ideal’) can
contribute or trigger development of eating disorders,
research has shown that the causes are multifactorial
and include biologic, social, and environmental
contributors. Not everyone who is exposed to media
images of thin “ideal” body images develops an eating
disorder. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa
have been documented in the medical literature since
the 1800s, when social concepts of an ideal body shape
for women and men differed significantly from today—
long before mass media promoted thin body images for
women or lean muscular body images for men.
Recovery from eating disorders is rare
Recovery can take months or years, but many people
eventually recover after treatment. Recovery rates vary
widely among individuals and the different eating
disorders. Early intervention with appropriate care can
improve the outcome regardless of the eating disorder.
Although anorexia nervosa is associated with the
highest death rate of all psychiatric disorders, research
suggests that about half of people with anorexia
nervosa recover, about 20% continue to experience
issues with food, and about 20% die in the longer term
due to medical or psychological complications.
Page | 7