Family Meals Prevent Eating Disorders

re: Family Meals Prevent Eating Disorders

Birdlady — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:34:11 GMT

I disagree. This has nothing to do with whether or not you eat your meals with the family.

I was anorexic for a whole year and almost died a few times. Let me tell you why I was anorexic.

If you have never been anorexic then you can't really understand (no offense).This study doesn't quite get it. Did I eat with my family? Nope, but there is a LOT more to it than just eating dinner with your family. It's so much more complex than that.

This is what goes on in the mind of an anorexic.

Control. You want control of your life. Usually there is some sort of event or trigger in a person's life that makes them feel they are out of control. For me it was a sexual trauma at the age of 16.

Will power. You have incredible will power. So much so that you challenge yourself not to eat for X amount of time or days. This goes back to control.

Guilt. INCREDIBLE amounts of guilt when you eat or do not live up to your unrealistic expectations. This goes back to the event or trigger in the person's life. I felt pretty guilty about what happened to me.

Eventually you get depressed. You are hopeless and many begin to mutilate themselves. This really isn't the anorexia. This is the trauma. At least it was in my case.

I doubt that if I had been eating with my family that it would have changed anything at all. Anorexia doesn't really have anything to do with food. It's more of a mental condition than an eating disorder.

re: Family Meals Prevent Eating Disorders

seg — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:11:28 GMT

This article is just the tip of the iceberg, because there so much more than could and should have been examined, like prayer before meals (FAMILY THAT PRAYERS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER), engaging in healthy positive SMALL talk/discussions like how was everyone's day, not only does it helps to relieve stress ( a major contributor to eating disorders ) it also helps to prevent one from "wolfing" down your food and running of to the computer or TV room, which i suspect is what the adolescent guys are doing, hence the outcome....

What you learn at home especially at a very young age often transpires into your adolescent life, whether living at home or abroad, that is why it is imperative that these lessons are taught (not bullied) at a very young age.....

PRACTISE AT HOME CARRIES ABROAD !!!!!!!!!!!!

re: Family Meals Prevent Eating Disorders

New to Natural — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:26:13 GMT

What was with the last statement of the article? Did this strike anyone else as odd?

"Schools and Community should make it easier for families to have shared mealtime on a regular basis."

Family should be prioritized above those two things anyways - it's the family's right and choice to decide what activities to participate in. The schools and community should not decide when you sit down for your dinner.

Also, isn't it an obvious point that families who eat together would be a more supportive system for teenage girls, thus reducing the risk of eating disorders? I'd like to see the results of the "family that eats together also reduces the risk of depression, suicide, anger, rebellion, substance abuse in teenagers" study.

re: Family Meals Prevent Eating Disorders

moo_203 — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:47:03 GMT

family meals esp. dinnertime will introduce children to join in family interactions and learn some manners which will build needed social skills for later in life. also helping to prepare for the meal will make them feel a part of the family and not a guest. even a 3-4 year old can put napkins on the table. we were at the dinner table as soon as we could sit up in a hi-chair. they learn a lot even at an earlier age by just being in the group. we were not allowed to leave either untill everyone was finished and they had been excused. we cleared the table as well. the only time we were excused from dinner was if we had a school or church project going on at the same time. i raised mine at the table as well.

re: Family Meals Prevent Eating Disorders

mmc88121 — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:24:01 GMT

Interesting, many problems can be mitigated by being involved in with your family on a daily basis.

Mary

re: Family Meals Prevent Eating Disorders

Russ Bianchi — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:31:07 GMT

The family that dines together, stays HEALTHY together!

Consider SLOW FOOD for your meals also.

Uncle Russ