How to Raise Kids Who Love Their Bodies

Show Guest: Dana Suchow

We are currently living in an epidemic of self-hate, where children as young as four years old begin to compare themselves to others in unhealthy ways. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), by the age of 10, over 80% of girls and boys are afraid of being fat! Entering their teens years, over 50% of girls and nearly 33% of boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives. 53% of 13-year-old American girls are unhappy with their bodies. This number grows to 78% by the time girls reach 17.

Dina Borzekowski, professor at Johns Hopkins school of public health notes: “Social media may have a stronger impact on children’s body image than traditional media. "She also emphasizes that children most at risk are those with more exposure to media messages and less exposure to rational, clear messages from supportive adults. As an eating disorder survivor, our guest Dana Suchow, who an award-winning speaker and coach, knows firsthand how harmful these thoughts and messages can be to young minds, and she works tirelessly to help parents stop eating disorders in children before they start. Dana will discuss topics that contribute to eating disorders, such as bullying, depression and anxiety, social media usage and more. She will share powerful tools parents can implement right away to help kids know they are loved and accepted regardless of what their body looks like.