Eating Disorder Red Flags Signs to Watch Out For in Teenagers

Posted by Healthfitline On Tuesday, September 4, 2012
It is undeniable that, media influence has been of much significant especially when it comes to teenagers or young adult who are still struggling with identity problems. In modern society, what is perceived as beautiful is far much below anyone expectations.
 
If you have been watching some of the catwalks, you may have noticed that, most of those girls that are presented to us are like "walking skeletons" not because they do not want to gain some weight and remain health but somehow, they are forced to eat less to remain marketable.

This trend has led to most teenagers and young adults thinking that, in order for you to be accepted and to look beautiful, you need to eat less than what your body require.  To achieve this, most teenagers has turned to unhealthy eating habits which gradually progresses to an eating disorder.
 
In some cases, it may be very hard for a parent to notice that her child is experiencing a eating disorder since most parents are very busy and rarely have adequate time to monitor their childrens' eating habits. There are a few red flags that you should watch out for. These red flags may be a sign that something wrong might be going on with your child;
 
Sudden Change of Dressing Style
If you child has been wearing tight fitting clothes and suddenly, you noticed that she or he is no longer interested in those type of clothes and has turned to wearing oversized or loose ill-fitting clothes. Do not just assume everything is fine.
 
You may be surprised to find that there is something more inside those baggy clothes than you thought.  The other red flag would be a sudden change of posture which could mean that she might be hiding something inside.
 
Change of Eating Habits
The following is unusual eating habits that a parent should watch out for;
 
  • The child starts re-arranging items or food on a plate.
  • She takes too long to chew or she is chewing food for a long time.
  • She start eating food in unusual style.
  • She cuts food into small tiny pieces while eating.
 
She may also start getting obsessed in measurement and calories count. Changing of eating habits is one of the earliest sign that a parent should be able to notice and take action early in the course of this disorder before it is too late.
 
Taking Meals Alone
If you have been taking dinner together with your child, then suddenly your child decide to be eating later alone.  This is another red flag especially if it becomes a habit.  She might also turn to taking weight loss supplements. Be on lookout for for all these signs.
 
Problems With Her Body Image
A child experiencing  an eating disorder may start talking about something that she does not like within her body. She may also think that she has gained alot of weight and she is physically not unfit while indeed, there is no change in her weight (distorted body image).
 
This may lead her getting pre-occupied with talking about her looks and eventually affecting her daily life.  An innocent comment about something concerning weight may make her react angrily since she interprets as if you are telling her that she is fat.
 
Compulsive Form of Exercises or Workout
A sudden liking of doing exercises if the teenager has not been exercising before would also be another red flag. She may insist of doing exercise even if she is not feeling well or she is very tired.
 
These are some of the signs that you should lookout for when you suspect your child may be having some eating disorder. Though, there are still more other signs that I have not highlighted, I believe the one that I have mentioned are the most common and would help you in detecting the eating disorder problem early enough before it can progress to a more serious level.
 
Labels: Growth and Development, home, Teenagers Issues

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