Understanding Why Children Overeat
Experts agree that as children’s stress levels go up, so do their numbers on the scale. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that four times as many teenagers are obese as were obese 30 years ago. In children 6 to 11 years old, obesity is two times what it used to be. Understanding why children overeat may help parents support their children in becoming healthy, and living better lives.
Stress and emotional overeating
No one likes feeling stressed. Pressures at school, a troubled home life, and feeling separate from other children may cause youths to eat too much. They do this to cope with feelings they have because of their stress. These feelings include:
- Depression.
- Loneliness.
- Grief.
- Anger.
- Confusion.
- Fear.
Many children also learn at home to turn to food for comfort and reward. But when children lose control and feel they can’t stop eating sugary and fatty foods, they are no longer eating because they are hungry. They are eating to cope with stress.
What does emotional overeating look like?
Children who are emotional overeaters may:
- Often want to eat urgently.
- Eat as a way to numb or soothe feelings.
- Eat a lot of food in 1 sitting.
- Hide empty containers after eating a lot.
- Crave certain types of unhealthy food, like fast food.
- Sneak into the kitchen late at night to eat extra food, thinking that no one will notice.
- Feel ashamed of their secret eating.
- Gain weight quickly.
How can parents help?
The first step is understanding. Parents can talk with their children and ask about any problems their children have. Parents can ask how their children feel about what’s going on in their lives.
Parents can also:
- Set a good example by eating healthy foods.
- Join their kids in active play, like playing catch or swimming.
- Let children know that they have their parents’ support and caring.
Sources:
https://familydoctor.org/emotional-eating-in-children-and-teens/
http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/binge_eating.html