Criticism, especially about weight, can lead to eating disorders down the road. Many people who experience eating disorders are no longer able to respond to internal cues about hunger and satiety. Parents must also realize that their actions influence how their children perceive nutrition. Eating disorders Anorexia nervosa is a serious, life-threatening illness, where the victim starves herself, sometimes to death. The typical anorexic is a female between the ages of 13 and 29.
Anorexics have an extremely distorted body image and excessive fears about putting on weight.
The illness usually leads to varying degrees of emaciation, malnutrition and related health problems. If a child is skipping meals, saying 'I'm too fat,' or seems depressed, there may be a serious problem. Those children who participate in activities that require thinness or weight control, such as ballet, gymnastics or wrestling, are most vulnerable. Obsessing over fat consumption can cause real problems for teen-agers. If fat intake is the concern, fruits and vegetables can be eaten as a means of moderating fat intake while maintaining a nutritious diet.