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As a Pediatrician, Dr. Deborah Mollo sees a large number of teenage girls as patients. While she said it is common for females to have “self image issues surrounding their weight, regardless of their age”, she is particularly concerned with young teens, as they are more impressionable, and thus, more likely to develop eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa.
“If a young girl develops a poor self-image early in life, and begins to have a bad attitude toward eating and her weight, it can develop into a lifelong pattern of unhappiness and poor health,” Dr. Mollo explained. “Spotting potential eating disorders early on is crucial to prevent potential problems, such as hormonal imbalance, infertility, irregular heart rhythm and kidney abnormalities.”
Dr. Mollo said that many young females see their mothers being concerned with their weight and diet. When their mothers are consistently counting calories and fat grams, their daughters tend to mimic this behavior.
“Many times, mothers don’t realize the messages they are conveying to their kids,” Dr. Mollo said.
“A mother who is constantly exercising and dieting to lose weight can unknowingly influence her daughters’ own self image and eating habits.”
According to Dr. Mollo, one of the first signs of a poor self image and a potential eating disorder is when a normal-weight teen talks a lot about dieting and exercising, and expresses a desire to be thinner.
“These girls will often ask me how many calories they should be consuming per day,” she said. “They will be very concerned with things like fat grams and calories, and they will usually express dissatisfaction with their weight. Some girls describe their diet as vegetarian, when, in reality, they are simply trying to avoid eating fat and protein.
As the pattern develops, these teens may begin to exercise more, and start to show signs of weight loss, such as decreasing a size in clothing. At this point, intervention by a physician and a counselor is critical to reverse the process before it becomes obsessive or uncontrollable.
“It is critical that the teen’s parents or friends identify the pattern and contact a physician before it becomes a full-blown eating disorder,” she said. “The teen should receive some form of counseling to correct the underlying self image issues, and should be monitored regularly by a physician to ensure that her health is not being jeopardized.”
When the warning signals are ignored, this behavior can develop into a severe medical and emotional problem. The most serious indicators of an eating disorder are when the teen begins binging or purging, or if her menstrual cycle stops. Often, teens will leave the dinner table quickly or make frequent trips to the bathroom after eating, in order to self-induce vomiting. They may use mints, mouthwash or chewing gum frequently, or brush their teeth often to hide the habit. They may also use over-the-counter diet aids or diuretics to help them lose weight.
“Many times, I am notified of a patient’s problem by one of her friends,” Dr. Mollo said, “since teens spend most of their time away from home and in school, it is easier for a friend to spot the warning signs than it is for parents.”
Once the disorder has been identified, Dr. Mollo counsels the patient and her parents extensively. She then schedules regular visits and “weigh-in’s” to monitor the patient’s status during treatment, and may refer the patient to a counselor or therapist who can help treat the underlying psychological and emotional issues.
“For some girls, talking to me, keeping a food diary, and coming for regular check-ups is enough to improve their attitude toward food and themselves. Some need more structure,” she explained. “These need to realize that the pressure to lose weight is something they put on themselves, and that they alone are the only ones who can ultimately help themselves.
“At the same time, parents must be careful about what they say and do around the home, as it concerns food, diet and weight. They need to foster their teen’s self-confidence, and remind them of how much beauty and potential they possess.” | 
