How to Prevent Childhood Eating Disorders

From the Show: HER
Summary: Learn ways to teach your children how to have healthy relationships with food and themselves.
Air Date: 5/1/14
Duration: 10
Host: Michelle King Robson and Pamela Peeke, MD
Guest Bio: Julie T. Anné, PhD
Dr JulieAnne Julie T. Anné, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Eating Disorder Specialist. She is the Founder and Clinical Director of A New Beginning, an innovative outpatient treatment center specializing in the care of all eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder), depression, anxiety, trauma, and marital / relationship issues.

In addition, Dr. Anne is the Co-Creator and Program Director of The Healthy Weigh Out, a groundbreaking program for emotional eating, binge eating and HEALTHY weight loss.
A respected, nationally recognized eating disorder specialist, Dr. Anné's work is frequently featured in the media.

Recently, Dr. Julie had the honor of working with the cast of abc's Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. Additionally, Dr. Anné was featured as one of three national eating disorder specialists in E! Network's 2010 critically acclaimed documentary series, "What's Eating You".

Currently, Dr. Anné serves as a Health Expert in the area of eating disorders and body-image on the Medical Advisory Board of EmpowHER Media.

For the past 23 years, Dr. Anné has enthusiastically guided her clients out of a place of emotional confinement and into a space of emotional enthusiasm.

Fiercely committed to the healing process of each client, Dr. Anné brings her unique brand of passion, compassion and artistic therapeutic skill to her life-changing work with individuals struggling to free themselves from the debilitating prison of emotional disorders and problematic compulsive behavior.
How to Prevent Childhood Eating Disorders

Are you aware that the age of onset for an eating disorder is younger than ever?

You may be concerned with what you are eating and how you look in the mirror every once in awhile, but an eating disorder takes your perceived body image to an serious level.

An eating disorder is an illness that causes extreme changes in your everyday diet, such as eating small amounts, overeating or eliminating food altogether. It consumes you.

The age of onset used to be between the ages of 13 and 17; now it’s between nine and 12 years old.

What can you do as parents to prevent your child from developing an eating disorder or help your child if he or she has already succumbed to one?

Whether your child is an adolescent or under the age of 12, you are still the most influential people in your child's life. You lead by example. If you are hyper-focused on your own appearance, it’s likely your child will pick up on your behavior. If you’re counting calories but tell your daughter or son not to do that, what kind of message are you sending?

Our culture is obsessed with weight and diet, which leads to unhealthy behaviors. Suggested research shows that drastically cutting calorie intake and constantly dieting may backfire and cause you to overeat, leading to binge eating or other disordered eating patterns.

With all of this in mind, how can YOU effectively support a non-dieting approach to food?

Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Eating Disorder Specialist, Julie T. Anné, PhD, discusses the early onset of eating disorders in children and ways to teach your children how to have healthy relationships with food and themselves.