Foster a Healthy Body Image in your Child
Are you concerned that your child may be at risk of developing an eating disorder? Unfortunately, many children today are "wasting their minds minding their waists," says Jessica Setnick, MS, RD, LD, a Dallas-based dietician who specializes in young clients with eating disorders. At a national meeting of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), she explained that parents can help their children develop healthy eating behaviors and a positive body image. To promote a healthy body image in your child, use the tips below, adapted from Setnick’s advice to professionals.* With this information you can counter misconceptions about eating and body image and help your child understand that food is fuel for the body and not a solution to emotional issues.
 Recognize the Danger. According to the National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders, about 7 million women and 1 million men in the U.S. suffer from eating disorders. The vast majority of these people say their disorder had started by the time they were 20. Between 0.5 and 1 percent of teenage girls develop anorexia nervosa, and 5 percent of of older adolescent girls and young adult women develop bulimia nervosa.** Even more common than these full-fledged eating disorders is disordered eating—not as extreme, but still a threat to normal growth and development.
Separate Food from Feelings. Eating disorders are not about food, says psychotherapist Abigail H. Natenshon, MA, LCSW, BCD, who has specialized in treating these disorders for 31 years and is the author of When Your Child Has an Eating Disorder, A Step-by-Step Workbook for Parents and Other Caregivers. “[Eating disorders] are about the individual’s misuse of food to solve emotional problems.” Any time your child asks about weight loss, consider what might be going on below the surface. Respond carefully. Also, understand that weight loss is not going to give your child a personality transplant or bring about any other unrealistic changes.
Discourage Dieting. In one study of 9th to 12th graders, 60 percent of girls and 23 percent of boys reported trying to lose weight; 8 percent of the girls and 2 percent of the boys admitted using diet pills.** Let your child know that even short-term diets can lead to disordered eating. Explain that maintaining a healthy weight is a lifelong process and any weight that takes a superhuman effort to maintain is probably not a healthy weight. Serve as a role model yourself by conveying a balanced attitude toward food and by not dieting.
Legalize All Foods. Never suggest that any specific food is “bad for you.” Be objective and teach that all foods provide nutrition, although some provide more than others. Setnick suggests adopting this attitude: “The only foods that are ‘bad’ are foods that are moldy or spoiled...or that you are allergic to.”
Educate and Empower Your Child. Every time you interact with your child, you have the opportunity to provide him or her with a positive or negative experience. Children are surrounded daily by messages that their bodies are not good enough. Tell your child the opposite—and don’t talk negatively about your own body either. (For Natenshon’s suggestions on how to instill body pride in a child, see www.empoweredparents.com.)
Get Help for Your Child. If you are concerned that your child may be developing an eating disorder, seek help from a registered dietitian or a counselor who specializes in this area.
*The tips from Setnick were compiled by Susan Kundrat, MS, RD, LD, who reported on the session for IDEA Health & Fitness Source magazine.
**Kreipe, R., & Birndorf, S. 2000. Eating disorders in adolescents and young adults, Medical Clinics of North America: Adolescent Medicine, 84(4), 1027-49.
–article courtesy of IDEA Health & Fitness Source magazine.
Music and Hearing Health
Many adults, teens, and children have not heard of Tinnitus
We all love music and love to crank it up in fitness classes. However, many adults, teens, and children have not heard of a condition called Tinnitus. A few in-the-know relate Tinnitus to Pete Townsend and his suffering from the 70s-80s from touring with the Who. Tinnitus is very often very serious and can be caused by several problems including: infections, diseases, illnesses, allergies and loud, continuous environmental noise levels (jackhammers, firearms, machinery, music). Tinnitus exhibits itself as a non-stop ringing, humming or screeching in the ear 24/7. This piece is addressing sensible music for all students, teachers, and parents.
A former class I instructed weekly was prior to a young male instructor's kickbox session. The instructor cranked up his music so loudly that he needed to yell his cues— with a microphone! This is unnecessary and dangerous and lasts for one full hour, two nights per week. I have never experienced this type of instructor's noise anywhere I have taught in my many years until this particular night. This specific instructor’s class consists of high-school age students who do not appear to have any experience with more mature classes or, more importantly, seasoned instructors.
It is not the fault of the students that this extreme noise and yelling probably seems normal to them. Damage caused by loud, continuous music is likely not directly related to fitness classes. However, most instructors who keep current on studies, have read and adhered to warnings from our fitness associations of sensible music use.
Specifically doctors have suggested and documented that hearing damage occurs when the strength of decibels (db) coincides with the length of time our ears are subject to a particular noise level. (Examples: a jackhammer at 110db for 2 hours; a strong vacuum/cleaning machine at 100db for 4 hours, etc.) A normal db range would be 80-90db. I researched this subject for two reasons: 1) the screaming teacher at my former health club, and 2) a constant ringing in my ears for three days (my physician diagnosed this as fluid in my ear canal - thankfully). But this was quite a scare.
I began with queries from musicians performing in symphonies explaining their fears. Three expert doctors from MDAdvice.com have agreed that “the consensus was that it is very rare that they have seen (non-rock band) musicians suffering hearing loss or even long-term tinnitus.” However, their advice was still to wear foam earplugs or custom ear molds when sitting next to certain instruments.
It seems logical and prudent to be aware of long-term, blasting music in classes, concerts, or automobiles for longer than one hour. I stress that these studies were relative to "consistent" high decibel noise – over a period of time.
Tinnitus can last for days or it can last for years as it has with rock musicians. There are treatments, however there is no true cure so far but time, if indeed time even eradicates the condition. True, fitness classes are more flowing and lively when the music is loud. Loud is fine, but we should all be aware of extreme noise for one constant hour (or more) repeatedly day after day, week after week.
A rule of thumb – if the instructor has to scream the music needs adjusting. Be sensible.
For more education on Tinnitus see this website: http://www.music-injury.com/html/hearing.html
–ed., Gwenn Jones, Bay Bridge Fitness FitGram No.30
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