COFFEE BREAK: Parents study students’ body images

A sobering seminar on eating disorders Wednesday by clinical psychologist Karen Handley for the Laguna Beach PTA drew in many parents who had never attended one of their Coffee Break events before.

Although nine out of 10 females have issues with their body or weight, only 10% of them have eating disorders, Handley said. Out of that, 5% to 10% of the cases end in death, either by suicide or starvation.

“That is the highest mortality rate among all mental health disorders,” Handley said — higher than depression, schizophrenia or even bipolar disorder.

The two major forms of eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia; a combined form of the two is doubly destructive.

Ten percent of those who have eating disorders are male, Handley said. Also, 21% of the gay male population has eating disorders, Handley said.

Boys who participate in “weighted” sports like wrestling have a propensity to develop bulimia, and males who suffer from eating disorders often have a past history of obesity.

Local concerns

Eating disorders and childhood obesity are both on the rise, Handley said. However, Laguna Beach has a much higher rate of anorexia and bulimia than obesity.

One parent of a Laguna Beach fourth-grader said her daughter’s classmates have formed a “No-Carb Club.” Principals call the trend rampant, especially by the time students reach Thurston Middle School.

“It’s the first time where they have to take their clothes off in front of other kids,” Thurston Principal Joanne Culverhouse said.

She told parents that middle school becomes a great opportunity for parents to teach kids that they’re their own person, adding that it’s impossible to shelter them.

“Negative body image is widespread on our campus,” Laguna Beach High School Principal Don Austin said.

In his previous six years as a principal, he never had a student speak to him about body image.

“Here, it’s routine,” he said.

He recommended parents regularly ask their kids to use words to describe themselves, and told them not to rely on athletic physicals for learning everything they need to know.

Students are educated on eating disorders in ninth and 12th grade.

Almost every class had a student raise their hand to talk about their own mother’s struggles with weight, Austin said.

El Morro Elementary Principal Chris Duddy recommended not letting kids who are afraid of being teased pressure parents about what foods they can bring to school.

“Teach them to stand up for themselves,” Duddy said. If the bullying becomes excessive, he recommended contacting the school principal.

Adderall, used to treat ADHD, has become a weight loss drug of choice on the high school campus.

One parent described how while he was manning a cash register at a homecoming concession booth, several slim girls walked up to the cash register.

One accidentally left behind an Adderall pill.

Girls at South Orange County high schools routinely receive cosmetic procedures like tummy tucks or breast implants as high school graduation presents, Handley said.

Causes and parental roles

“We live in a culture obsessed with the perfect body,” Handley said.

She lists the potential causes of eating disorders as a media or cultural need for thinness; feelings of inadequacy; depression; anxiety; loneliness; peer relationship issues or high sports activity.

Additional off-campus coaches add to a student’s stress about their weight.

The most important factor is how parents talk about body image, food and their own bodies in front of their children, Handley said.

“They hear everything,” she said.

Handley suggested limiting the number of comments about their children’s physical attributes, balancing them with discussions on feelings and intelligence.

In addition, fathers and male family members were told to emphasize things other than weight and appearance when talking with their children.

She also recommended not excluding a food group from a household; instead, educate about the costs and benefits of different food choices, rather than categorizing “junk” versus “healthy” food.

“You don’t want them to feel like a bad person if they drink a soda,” Handley said.

“When girls start losing weight and people start focusing on it, full-fledged eating disorders kick in for 10% of them,” Handley said. “They want to be the skinniest girl in school.”

She said the worst thing a parent can tell a child is that they need to go on a diet; rather, they should change their household food without announcing a difference in what’s being served.

Trends and misconceptions

One of the most disturbing new trends is on the Internet, where a massive group of “pro-ana” and “pro-mia” websites have sprung up, teaching girls the latest methods to lose weight and supporting an anorexic or bulimic lifestyle, Handley said.

On the sites, girls can fast, binge or compete together to lose weight in a safe community environment; compare weight-loss methods; and teach each other how to hide their new “lifestyle” from authority figures.

A common misperception of anorexia is that kids don’t eat, Handley said. But they will often eat small amounts in front of parents in order to convince them that they don’t have a problem.

Pro-ana and pro-mia sites also share “thinspiration,” usually pictures or videos of anyone from a celebrity to a severely anorexic person.

Another misconception is that one’s career or grades will be affected if they’re anorexic or bulimic, Handley said. But the sufferers are often perfectionists, which means they’ll continue to get high grades or performance reviews.

Another fallacy is that bulimia requires one to binge and purge; another form, known as exercise bulimia, is increasing in popularity.

Girls exercise for hours each day, and feel guilty if they don’t make it to the gym.

Next steps

Those who want more information on eating disorders, or are interested in joining a mailing list to contact legislators, help shut down pro-anorexic websites or protest unhealthy images in advertising, are encouraged to visit anad.org.

To speak to Handley, call (949) 460-9528.

CDs of past Coffee Break discussions are available at school site libraries.

EATING DISORDERS

Fast facts:

- Nationwide, 42% of girls in grades 1-3 want to be thinner.

- 81% of 10-year-olds fear fat.

- Half of girls between the ages of 12 and 14 say they’re sad because they’re fat.

- 45% of American women and 40-60% of girls are dieting.

Warning signs:

- Isolation, irritation and secrecy (especially regarding eating)

- Rapid weight fluctuation

- Abnormal eating habits

- Preoccupation with weight

- Excessive talk about weight

- Compulsive, excessive exercise

Additional warning signs for bulimia:

- Regular intake of large amounts of food

- Loss of control while eating

- Use of self-induced vomiting, pills or fasting

Questions to ask:

- Do you weigh yourself every day? (Handley recommends weekly at the most.)

- Do you skip meals?

- Do you hate seeing yourself in the mirror?

- Do you let the pounds on the scale affect your mood?

Professional diagnosis factors:

- Intense fear of weight gain

- Distorted body image

- Missing three or more periods

- Rigid thinking and ritualistic behavior

- Avoiding certain types of food

- Moodiness

Treatment:

- Ranges from therapy to outpatient to resident options

- Early intervention dramatically decreases total treatment time

- Moderate case can take 2 to 5 years of treatment

- More severe cases need to be treated for 5 to 10 years

- Compounding issues like drug use or other disorders can extend treatment length

[From Karen Handley’s presentation on eating disorders at PTA Coffee Break seminar.]