Preventing Eating Disorders through Family Meals

Eating disorder can seem quite the mystery to those who have never experienced them and overwhelming for the individual battling with one and certainly daunting for the family and circle of friends involved.  Eating disorders are more common than one would think and can be extremely dangerous and life threatening.  Yet if caught in time and addressed appropriately the affected individual can recover and learn to live a healthful and vibrant life.

The umbrella of eating disorders generally includes anorexia nervosa (refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight) and bulimia nervosa (binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives, diuretics; fasting or excessive exercise).  How does one end up with an eating disorder you may ask?  Well, the answers to that question are quite numerous however one may include reasons for some  disorders are attempts are gaining control over chaotic family dynamics, dysfunctional relationships, and high levels of emotional distress.  The good news is that families can help prevent eating disorders from occurring or fend them off with open communication, high levels of awareness and even simple family traditions. 

One 5 year study examined adolescent boys and girls and the frequency with which their families ate together in order to track the connection between family meals and differing degrees of disordered eating. The behaviors ranged from unhealthy ones, such as occasionally skipping meals to lose weight, to dangerous ones, including frequent use of laxatives and diet pills.  Among the adolescent girls, the researchers found that regular family meals were associated with a lower prevalence of extreme weight control behaviors. To a smaller degree, eating together also positively protected the girls against less extreme behaviors. Among adolescent boys, eating together did not result in lower levels of disordered eating, but the researchers said that more studies were warranted to determine if there was any association (2012, IDEA Health & Fitness Association). 

 “The high prevalence of disordered eating behaviors among adolescent girls and the protective role of family meals suggest a need for interventions aimed at promoting family meals,” the authors concluded in the January issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 

So why would family meals help prevent eating disorders?  With the fast pace of today's life many families find little time to prepare healthy meals let alone sitting down together after a long day.  Family meals, when they happen, are part of a long tradition of keeping open communication channels open and putting life's issues out on the table so to speak.  Once communication lines are severed and/or open dialog is not encouraged families run the risk of unhealthy behaviors to find their way into the home.  Eating together as a family may help to maintain the integrity of our families, encourage ongoing healthy communication among all members and just as importantly keep healthy family tradition alive.