NYT article: Overzealous parents sending wrong message to kids about nutrition

[Ceepa]

"While scarcely any expert would criticize parents for paying attention to children’s diets, many doctors, dietitians and eating disorder specialists worry that some parents are becoming overzealous, even obsessive, in efforts to engender good eating habits in children. With the best of intentions, these parents may be creating an unhealthy aura around food. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/health/nutrition/26food.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=dining

I have some friends who should read this. ;)

[brittone2]

I think it is kind of common sense though. I heard this report discussed on our local NPR affiliate by some local pediatricians putting out a nutrition book. (Eta: I think one was the one quoted from UNC in that NYT article)

We are parents that definitely watch what our kids consume. But we mostly shop at stores like our co-op grocery where they don't even stock HFCS containing products, nitrate/nitrite containing products, etc. so it makes it easy (not much of a need to explain why we don't buy certain things). I don't make a big deal out of it to my children, but yes, there are times I will tell them we aren't buying grapes, strawberries, or peaches that are not organic, because those are things I just won't buy, and since they are at the store, there's no other way to explain it to my 5 year old.

I look at it this way. I put seatbelts/carseats on my kids. When DS asks why, I tell him seatbelts/carseats keep us safe in case our car bumps into another car. What I don't say is "you must put your seatbelt on because if you don't, and our car crashes, it will go up in flames and we might all die." Kwim? I think there are two different messages you can send. I'm willing to explain that we don't buy certain products because they are not that healthy, but do I got into a diatribe about how XYZ might cause us to get sick, die of cancer,etc. etc.? No.

[MartiesMom2B]

I do think that there is good point to this article. So much emphasis on food can very well lead to eating disorder. That's why Ellyn Satter books are great. I've seen a program where a woman was so concerned about what she ate that she only ate organic raw food and she was very underweight but refused to eat anything else for the fear of poisoning herself. I would hate to be the cause of that type of disorder in my children.

[brittone2]

I do think that there is good point to this article. So much emphasis on food can very well lead to eating disorder. That's why Ellyn Satter books are great. I've seen a program where a woman was so concerned about what she ate that she only ate organic raw food and she was very underweight but refused to eat anything else for the fear of poisoning herself. I would hate to be the cause of that type of disorder in my children.

I agree, but I kind of think people who take it to that extreme obviously have some other mental health condition that sets them up to be vulnerable to such extreme restriction, kwim? Kind of a chicken and egg situation. I don't think the interest in organic eating caused it, as much as this person had something pre-wired in their mental health to make them likely to take it to an extreme.

[Ceepa]

I agree, but I kind of think people who take it to that extreme obviously have some other mental health condition that sets them up to be vulnerable to such extreme restriction, kwim? Kind of a chicken and egg situation. I don't think the interest in organic eating caused it, as much as this person had something pre-wired in their mental health to make them likely to take it to an extreme.

Yeah, but how much mental/emotional baggage do adults carry around because they were predisposed to it and then they were raised in an environment that pushed them over the edge? Like, the woman pp described. Maybe she is the product of her parents or peers or some other institution hammering away at the idea of "healthy eating" and now she's programmed to believe she can't step out onto that slippery slope of poor nutritional choices.

I wouldn't say a person obviously has some other mental health condition to get hung up in this line of thinking. That would suggest it's all nature and would discount nurture. Both play a part, but I would say a person's environment will more likely influence whether a person grows to have an unhealthy relationship with feeding themselves and/or their families, which could take the form of eating all processed food or being hypervigilant and obsessive about "healthful foods."

[vludmilla]

I agree with the notion that those who develop disordered eating were predisposed to it in the first place and not "created" simply by their environment (nurture) alone. The psychological theory of mental illness called the diathesis-stress model asserts that mental illnesses emerge only when a biological vulnerability meets the environmental conditions that can cause it to emerge. So, by this theory, one could carry the biological vulnerability for, say schizophrenia, but never actually become schizophrenic in the absence of precipitating environmental conditions. So, I guess the point is that in a "healthy" person, or at least someone who is not vulnerable to disordered eating, you can't create disordered eating just through environment. There may be some disagreement here on what exactly disordered eating is. I can imagine a person becoming somewhat rigid about food as a result of their upbringing but that wouldn't necessarily rise to the level of disordered eating which is what this article is referencing. I think the article is unfortunately a little thin (pardon the pun) on research to back up what seem like anecdotes from a few doctors.

[brittone2]

Yeah, but how much mental/emotional baggage do adults carry around because they were predisposed to it and then they were raised in an environment that pushed them over the edge? Like, the woman pp described. Maybe she is the product of her parents or peers or some other institution hammering away at the idea of "healthy eating" and now she's programmed to believe she can't step out onto that slippery slope of poor nutritional choices.

I wouldn't say a person obviously has some other mental health condition to get hung up in this line of thinking. That would suggest it's all nature and would discount nurture. Both play a part, but I would say a person's environment will more likely influence whether a person grows to have an unhealthy relationship with feeding themselves and/or their families, which could take the form of eating all processed food or being hypervigilant and obsessive about "healthful foods."
nak-

Taking it to the extreme of having your kids be underweight, etc. seems to me like it is quite possible (although maybe not "obvious" or absolutely) that there are mental health issues involved. Yes, I think nurture plays a part, but those taking it to an extreme IMO may very well have some predisposition. Obviously there is no way to know for sure.

There are vegetarians who don't eat meat in their family for ethical or religious reasons (or both). They may explain to their children why they don't consume animal products in their home. Are their children going to be sandbagged w/ severe emotional issues or guilt if they eat meat as adults? I think there's a difference between explaining to your family why you do XYZ and using language or explanations that make those choices too absolute or extremely guilt-inducing, kwim?

Not explaining well....in a rush.