The title of the Chicago News Tribune article by Heidi Stevens is “We need to stop demonizing our food.” (Dec 5) Here’s the paragraph that inspired this post:
“Eating disorders skyrocketed during the pandemic. Since March 2020, when lockdown orders went into effect in most states, the National Eating Disorders Association helpline has reported a staggering uptick in calls — a 78% year-over-year increase during some months. Teenagers account for up to 35% of the calls.”
And these are the people — the children — who got far enough in their internet searches to find the phone number for the National Eating Disorders Association helpline.
Let’s extend this thought: Girls and women form the majority of persons diagnosed with eating disorders. Research varies on the extent of differences and, just as I believe girls are underreported for ADHD, I suspect boys are underreported for eating disorders. Recent studies back up my view. But eating disorders remain a heavily female category in a stressful time. Anorexia sufferers are about 90% female and a recent study in Pediatrics showed “cases of adolescent anorexia increased 65 percent in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.” (Adolescent Anorexia Up 65 Percent in Canada During First Wave of Pandemic, Study Finds (msn.com) My two previous posts about the dramatic increase in suicide attempts among adolescent girls highlight a mental health crisis.
I think back to my children and other little kids I have known. Food is one of the first great comforts we discover in life, as any parent knows. Fwench fwy, anyone? Cad I ‘ave a gookie? Even as adults, many of us are attempting to duplicate mom’s macaroni and turkey stuffing,
Eduhonesty: This will be a short post. As Heidi said, we need to stop demonizing food. Because sometimes right now, it seems all the news is bad. Gas prices are scary, the weather is wrong, supply shortages have knocked favorite foods off the shelves, school shootings keep coming, adults and kids are putting schools on soft lockdown with rumors that sometimes turn into credible threats, and, all the while, omicron is surging.
If parents and teachers want to encourage healthy eating right now, that’s great. Pushing clean, fresh vegetables and fruits hurts no one. I am making daily fresh fruit smoothies, a fun activity that encourages eating melon pulped into juice.
But discussions revolving around fat, calories and weight have the potential to do harm, especially since weight gain has been one part of today’s COVID misery. According to Harvard University, “39% of patients gained weight during the pandemic, with weight gain defined as above the normal fluctuation of 2.5 pounds. Approximately 27% gained less than 12.5 pounds and about 10% gained more than 12.5 pounds, with 2% gaining over 27.5 pounds.” (Did we really gain weight during the pandemic? – Harvard Health).
It’s natural to want to attack our weight gain problem, but I’d like to suggest that maybe, in most cases, issues of weight gain should be left mostly alone. As a teacher, I have watched girls freak out over added pounds, cinching in waists with impossible belts and cutting out breakfasts and lunches. Then I have dealt with midmorning and afternoon eruptions, inspired by light dinners, few or no snacks and no breakfast. Those girls get hangry from lack of food. Sometimes they break into tears. Then they often binge eat as a consequence.
We can worry about fat calories later. I recommend treading lightly. Melon is a great snack. But if Ava wants a Candy Cane Chill Blizzard from Dairy Queen, I encourage parents and teachers to support her. Encourage her to go out safely with friends and then watch a fun movie (preferably not Night of the Dying, Sloppy Corpses Trying to Get Into the Mall, though if that’s a feel-good movie for her, I take back my last statement). Eating soft serve ice cream filled with candy chunks while relaxing at the end of the day may be exactly what Ava needs. Blizzards are cheaper than Prozac. They are low in sodium, have some useful calcium, and may not be high in fat, depending on what candy treat is mixed in.
Not that I’d necessarily share that nutritional information. Let’s take body image, weight gain and related topics off the table for now, while approaching nutrition and exercise carefully. Our kids have more than enough to manage.