EDs or eating disorders are a set of common psychological conditions among adolescents and young people. They are characterized by dietary restriction, misuse of laxatives, an obsession with physical exercise or other behaviors such as compulsive binge eating, among others. Given their danger and high incidence, prevention of these disorders from an early age is very important and necessary to reduce these rates and to be able to identify and treat their signs and symptoms in time. One of the most common and well-known eating disorders is anorexia, which is why, in the following Psychology-Online article, we want to talk about how to prevent anorexia nervous since childhood. First, we will explain what anorexia nervosa is and then we will detail different strategies to prevent this disorder.
What is anorexia nervosa?
The anorexia nervosa It is one of the most serious. It is mainly characterized by a combination of episodes of feeding restrictionknown as anorexia, that is, not eating food or rationing it to the maximum.
There may also be episodes of compulsive eating and purging to avoid weight gain, which we understand as . These behaviors may include inducing vomiting, excessive physical exercise, and the use of laxatives and diuretics.
Normally, this disorder tends to appear around the 17 yearsmostly in women and these people usually have the levels of Low BMI (body mass index)in relation to variables such as age, height and weight, due to poor eating habits, which is a serious situation risk to your health. In many cases it is a difficult disease to treat because most people who suffer from it are not aware of it and, therefore, are reluctant to all types of help and professional treatment. But, obviously, this is not the case in all cases, the joint collaboration of both the patient himself, his family and health professionals can give good and successful therapeutic results.
Continuing with the purpose of this article, below we will explain 11 different strategies for preventing anorexia that can be applied to both children and adolescents.
Have good eating habits
It is very important to prevent anorexia from childhood. Both parents or family members and the school can encourage the integration of the healthy foods in your dietestablish some regular meal times to avoid skipping meals, reduce the consumption of sweets and unhealthy foods, etc.
Eat together
Eat together with family members, from an early age whenever possible, so that this is a comfortable shared space and moment and thus improve communication between its members. In fact, it is recommended that from the moment babies begin complementary feeding, it is better for them to eat at the table. with his familyas explained in this article on the .
Promote self-esteem
For both children and adolescents, feeling secure with oneself, valid and competent will make one’s self-conception and self-esteem higher and, therefore, the chances of suffering from anorexia will be reduced. Here you will find .
Practice physical exercise
Practicing a sport that motivates them and makes them feel comfortable is highly recommended to promote healthier habits and routines from childhood and so that their mental health is also balanced. Practice sports and exercise They are activities to prevent anorexia.
Promote good family communication
Facilitate fluid, empathetic and healthy communication between family members, in order to receive the support and reinforcement necessary to face adversity of the life. In this article we offer some.
Have a good rest
Another measure to prevent anorexia is to guarantee a good rest. Try to ensure that both children and adolescents comply with their sleep schedules usual, since resting and sleeping the necessary hours will help them feel more energetic, more active and they will feel better physically and psychologically.
Practice extracurricular activities
Another way to prevent anorexia is to practice hobbies. As long as these are of interest to them, it will make them feel more comfortable with themselves, more competent and will encourage them.
Encourage criticism of beauty myths and stereotypes
Develop in them a critical thinking in relation to beauty stereotypes both male and female. We must try to make them see reality as it is and accept and understand that all bodies are valid and that the pressure caused by these ideals transmitted by the media can be very harmful to our health. Therefore, we must avoid comparisons and derogatory comments focused on the physique between people.
Do not start diets on our own
Another measure for the prevention of anorexia is medical supervision. Do not start or implement weight loss diets that are not supervised or controlled by a health professional. Your doctor or dietician will recommend the diet that best suits you.
Carry out prevention and awareness campaigns in schools
Carrying out prevention and awareness campaigns in educational centers about anorexia, providing information about its symptoms and causes, can help students become more aware of this disease and have more tools to identify it and face it.
Be clear about your symptoms
Informing educators, teachers, mothers and fathers about the signs and symptoms of anorexia is very important so that they can detect the disorder in time. Immediately consulting a health professional is the best measure to catch this disease in time, so as to avoid complications. Here you can see.
It is recommended that all these tips be implemented from childhood, to have these habits integrated from the beginning and thus prevent diet-related diseases from developing later. It is also interesting to know the following.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to prevent anorexiawe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- Díez, A. (2019). Spanish Association of Pediatrics in families.
- Doyen, C and Cook-Darzens. S. (2004). Anorexia, bulimia: guidelines to prevent, cope and act from childhood. Barcelona: Amat.
- López, C and Treasure, J. (2011). Eating disorders in adolescents: description and management. Las Condes Clinic Medical Journal, 22(1), 85-97.
- Yeste, G. (2016). The influence of the media on the suffering and recovery of anorexia nervosa: a bibliographic review. Final degree project. Cadiz University.