Community Magazine July 2012

Q: My ten-year-old is a loveable boy, but he’s constantly munching. He can always be seen at the sweet table at a simha , always eats everything on his plate and usually asks for seconds. It’s almost as though the gauge in his body notifying him when he is full, is out of order. I am worried that these habits which have contributed to his slightly overweight figure now, will continue into adulthood, placing him at risk for disease, Gd forbid. I don’t want to make him self conscious, but I shudder at the thought of a full-grown man struggling with poor eating habits and obesity. How can I prevent this ominous possibility? Identifying Eating Disorders Dr. Michael Golub, M.D. While every child has their unique eating habits, knowing the basic facts about eating disorders can help parents properly asses their child’s individual situation. Children develop eating habits early on in life. Overeating in children and teens can be a result of many different factors including boredom, unhappiness, new situations or growth spurts. An eating disorder is different than the above mentioned reasons. Before you label your child with an eating disorder such as compulsive eating, here are a few basic facts to chew over: Compulsive overeating, also called binge eating disorder, is characterized by eating uncontrollably and often in excessive amounts, and often followed by overwhelming feelings of guilt. It resembles bulimia, with the exception that compulsive over-eaters usually don’t purge. Dr. Golub has been practicing pediatrics for the past fourteen years. He currently sees patients in Lakewood and Toms River, New Jersey. Causes of Binge Eating Mrs. Shayna Franks, LMSW The cause for binge eating is multifaceted; each case is comprised of many components. However, in many cases, children develop a negative association with food due to messages they receive at home and from society. Trauma and stress at home or in school also often leads to overeating. If a parent is very controlling, if a child is too smothered, or if a child is depressed or lacking attention, he will often turn to food as a source of comfort. Growth spurts can also cause overeating. It is extremely common for children aged 10-14 to begin growing at a rapid pace, and they will often widen before they shoot up, as demonstrated in a study developed by the National Center for Health Statistics in collaboration with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2000). Worried parents might come down hard on the preteen and criticize him for his overeating, even though the child is simply following My Kid Loves Food ComPilEd BY EliNoR YaNaY Experts weigh in on the risks, warning signs and preventative measure for childhood eating disorders. 40 Community magazine