Every parent has the right to be concerned with their child’s or teen’s health when the doctor tells them that their child or teen is at an unhealthy weight, but where do we draw the line between concern and abuse? America has one of the highest childhood obesity rates and no one wants their child to become a part of that percentage. But putting your child or teen into uncomfortable restriction of food, and even going as far as not letting them eat a certain number of calories and foods, is abusive in many ways. Parents shouldn’t force their children into diets because of the psychological trauma, the chance of the diet backfiring, and the diet leading to an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia.
97.6% of adults below the age of 55 have Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Most of these adults, who are over the age of 20, most likely grew up in the 1900’s--an era where women were expected by the media and society to have more svelte figures. However, their parents are from the 1800’s, where being chubby was an absolute no-no. Vintage ads, such as the Chubbettes, were all over the place. On the windows of small shops around the corner, to television ads at home. Children who were exposed to these ads grew up believing that no one wants a chubby person, and that belief carries on into teenage years, adolescence, and adulthood where it perpetuates.
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Every teen has a rebellious phase, in fact, it’s human nature to feel the need to go against everything an adult tells you. The case is the same for teens who are forced into diets. They feel the need to prove that they don't need the diet and eat even more. As a result, they get even bigger than before and instead of being a good parent and helping your child with their weight issues, you've made it even worse than before. And the child starts to feel guilty for all of it.
1% of females have eating disorders. 10% of people with eating disorders are male. Most people with eating disorders are between 12-20 years of age. These are statistics that should not exist. Too many young adolescents are buying into the idea that eating less is going to make them more beautiful, and that's scary. They believe that they are ugly until their bones are pressing against their skin. Parents force their kids into a diet not even knowing the insecurities their kid is dealing with internally. And the teens who are close to becoming full grown adults are just another generation of adults who have surrendered to society’s flaws in acceptance.The concern for the parent faces is understandable. You want your child to not have to feel out of breath when they do a simple task. The risk of diseases branching from unhealthy levels of weight is also enduring, but that shouldn't keep you blind from the unhappiness that is evident in your child. There are other, harmless, solutions out there that your child could benefit from and stay healthy both mentally and physically.
No one should ever believe that their child looking like a supermodel is more important than being your child’s role model. I've been in the situation where my mom said that I was at an unhealthy weight. I've had friends who've admitted that their parents don't make them feel confident in their own skin. Telling us we needed a diet didn't fix the problem, it made it worse. Parents need to ditch the idea that diets are good for kids and start surrounding them with body positive inspiration or talking them through the process of getting healthy.
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