The Harm BMI is Having on Teens and How it Can Lead to Eating Disorders
Body dissatisfaction in early adolescents has been related to disordered eating, depression, and eating disorders.
The single most consistent risk factor for body dissatisfaction among children is Body Mass Index (BMI).
As early as age 6, overweight or obese children are more dissatisfied with their weight than other children. The correlation between body dissatisfaction and BMI increases during elementary school. Girls go as far as suggesting they want to get rid of their fat by cutting it off. They discuss difficulties wearing certain clothes and challenges they face in social interactions. Girls' and boys' responses show that being overweight is a central part of their life that negatively impacts their body image and social life.
Mass media, including television, video games, cinema, and the Internet, are a significant part of the lives of millions of children, adolescents, and adults. The unhealthy messages one receives from this are about ideal body sizes and shapes in relation to pleasure, morality, gender, attractiveness, self-control, food, weight management, and power.
What we have been told as truth is the misconception that there is a direct linear relationship between weight and risk of death.
The actual relationship between weight and mortality isn’t linear. In one study, the highest risk of death was for those with very low BMI, and the second highest mortality was for those in the upper range with a high BMI (>50). Other factors also contribute to disease and death, such as lifestyle, trauma, environment, genetics, and fitness, to name a few.
Many people are afraid to go to their doctors for fear of fat shaming or being told they are obese. Often, at their visit, their weight automatically is described to them as a disease. With a diagnosis of “obesity,” they come to the implied conclusion that "I have become too heavy, and it’s going to kill me if I don’t fix it". Because, after all, haven't we all heard that we are in an obesity epidemic?
When clients are sent to me with a high BMI, I usually find that they are dieting or restricting meals. This behavior almost always leads to overeating and binge eating at night to compensate for lost calories during the day. This can lead to weight gain. And when kids lose weight, we assume they are making healthier choices, which we consider a good thing until we discover they are eating too little.
People hear a mixed message: You’re supposed to strive for thinness constantly, but don’t get too thin because you’ll have a problem– or suddenly, your disordered calorie counting calls for an intervention. At the same time, everyone else around you continues to count calories. Being told you have a high BMI creates a feeling of shame, which often leads to overeating or undereating.
It is possible to reclaim body wisdom and find peace with food and body acceptance.
My approach to health and nutrition is weight-inclusive, and I will always focus on helping clients find peace and balance with food and body no matter what their BMI may be. I am passionate about helping clients recover from eating disorders, disordered eating, and chronic dieting. My approach to health and nutrition is weight-inclusive. You'll never hear me ask about your BMI!
If you would like to find peace with food and body acceptance, book a consultation with me.
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