Summary: Concerns about being overweight begin as early as preschool, and the drive for thinness intensifies with age.Concerns about being overweight begin as early as preschool, and the drive for thinness intensifies with age. The results can have both physical and psychological repercussions, including potentially serious disordered eating. Because adolescents with eating disorders rarely seek help on their own, it is important that parents act on their suspicions quickly and not retreat behind a wall of denial. Parents who raise the issue with their teenager should expect a heated denial of any problem. The Female Athlete Triad refers to the combination of three medical conditions—eating problems, menstrual problems, and weak bones—seen in competitive female athletes. Prevention of the female athlete triad is important because it can interfere with normal growth and development, cause injury, and result in loss of strength and endurance. In this segment, special guest, Yolanda (Linda) Reid Chassiakos, shares information about these three conditions, as well as general guidance for prevention and treatment of disordered eating in your children.
