How we talk about eating and how we talk about dieting really changes how our kids eat and how they feel. Pediatrician, Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, explains a recent study that found there are serious, long-term, harmful associations when parents encourage a teen to diet. Things like severe dieting, binge eating, low self-esteem and a less favorable body image can stem from being encouraged to diet. Even more, these negative associations are learned and are passed from one generation to the next.