Family meals help girls avoid eating disorders
A recent study found that girls who ate with their families at least five times per week were less likely to participate in weight control behaviors -- taking laxatives, diet pills, or forcing themselves to vomit -- that might lead to eating disorders. Other less extreme behaviors, like fasting and smoking to lose weight were unaffected by family meal time. In addition, boys in the study who ate meals with their families were actually more at risk of developing unhealthy weight control habits, surprisingly.Researchers say that this suggests that while family meal time can benefit teens, what happens at that table has an impact on teens as well. Juggling schedules to make time for eating together, creating healthy, nutritious dishes, and having positive interactions at the table are all components of healthy family meals.
Gallery: Healthy family mealtimes
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-14-2008 @ 5:54PM
Joanna Poppink said...
Love is left out of the eating disorder prevention equation yet again.
Eating disorder prevention does not mean following a check list of correct behaviors. It means behaving reasonably and practically with a powerful undertone of love, respect, a glad willingness to listen, confidence to passionately disagree and deep certainty that right or wrong everyone in the family loves and will stand by everyone else.
When that is brought to daily life in a family, including family dinners, eating disorders don't have a chance to develop.
Researchers have a tough time factoring love in their studies. I can appreciate the difficulty. I also am dismayed by research results that do not consider the presence or absence of genuine love and respect.
Researchers say..."what happens at that table has an impact on teens as well. Juggling schedules to make time for eating together, creating healthy, nutritious dishes, and having positive interactions at the table are all components of healthy family meals."
Yes, these are components. Please include love and respect, spacious time, generous listening and room for laughter and shared passions. Then we're talking about family meals that help prevent eating disorders.
Joanna Poppink, MFT, Los Angeles eating disorder recovery psychotherapist
http://www.poppink.com
blog: http://www.eatingdisorderstoday.typepad.com
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