Healthy Habits: Summer Body Image

This month is National Mental Health Month. Afflicting more women than breast cancer, eating disorders have the highest rate of mortality of all mental illnesses. I had the chance to interview Jennifer Lombardi, Executive Director of Eating Recovery Center of California about how summer affects eating disorders and what we can do to help stop the effects.

1.     Why is summer such a sensitive time for body image issues?

Summertime means warmer temperatures and for many it also means a focus on getting “bikini-ready” for swimsuit weather. If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you’ve likely seen the celebrity magazines with cover stories about “Best and Worst Beach Bodies” and the like. Culturally, we have conditioned both girls and boys to be dissatisfied with their bodies. Nearly half of girls as young as 8 years old are wishing they were thinner. Many of them have already dieted. With boys, the pressure is increasing – to be fit and have a “hard” body. At the same time, we teach children to not listen to their hunger cues and vilify foods as either “good” or “bad”, “junk” or “healthy.”  

2.     How do body image concerns become full-blown eating disorders?

Eating disorders are caused by a combination of several factors: genetics, such as anxiety or depression; cultural issues, such as a pressure to achieve an unrealistic body image or high expectations to excel academically or in a sport; family dynamics, which could include conflict or enmeshment; personality traits, such as conflict-avoidance, perfectionism and sensitivity to criticism; and trauma or loss.

My reasons for developing anorexia included many of the aforementioned issues, but primarily my temperament was biologically wired to put me at risk. Classic personality traits, such as people-pleasing, conflict avoidance and a high drive for achievement set the stage genetically. Add to this a series of personal losses, and the environment triggered my developing an eating disorder as a means of coping.

3.     How can parents reinforce positive messages for their children?

Our culture does play a part in contributing to the development of eating disorders, and it also encourages disordered eating and body hatred for both children and adults. While negative images and commentary about weight appearance do not directly cause an eating disorder, they certainly don’t help. For those who are prone to develop disordered eating, chronic dieting, obsessive exercise, body hatred and other self-harm behaviors, our culture certainly perpetuates an unrealistic ideal. Children as young as eight years old have indicated in studies that they are “afraid to be fat” and have tried dieting. And while we emphasize balance when it comes to food, the language we use does not support this concept. We talk about “good” and “bad” foods, “junk” and “healthy” – in other words, extremes that often confuse children and teach them to not trust their own internal hunger and satiety cues. 

What I suggest parents do is to teach that there is food for fuel and food for fun, and too much of one over the other is imbalanced.  As a parent, it’s important to guide the balance, but to never vilify certain foods. The moment you do that, you automatically set a child up to ruminate or obsess about it.  magine if I said to not think of the color blue all day. The moment I suggest that, you’d probably find yourself thinking about it off and on throughout the day. The same is true for food.

4.     How can women combat the effects of negative body image messages from the media for themselves? 

While mainstream media isn’t likely to change it’s take on body image any time soon, one thing we can change is our attitudes for the better. Here are my 5 Tips for a Healthy Summer Season:

Tip #1: Join a yoga class for relaxation, a dance class for fun or an aerobics class because it makes you feel good.

Tip #2: Remove “good food, bad food” talk from your vocabulary. Remember, it’s all about moderation.

Tip #3: Stop comparing yourself to others. Being unique is what makes our world a wonderful place.

Tip #4: Make it a priority to stay hydrated this summer. Carry a bottle of water with you every day.

Tip #5: Help others feel better about themselves - offer a friend or family member a heartfelt non-body focused compliment every day.