Kids Should Not Have to Worry About Their Weight At A Young Age

You may think that obesity in children is a struggle and that it can hurt a child, but that is not the case! Did you know that bigger problems can happen  because they are concerned about their weight? So the question is, should kids have to worry about their weight at such a young age? That answer is no.  Kids should not have to worry about their weight at a young age because it could trigger an eating disorder in a child and It could affect a child's mental health.

Kids should not have to worry about their weight at a young age because they could get an Eating Disorder. Studies show that “[t]wo major components, one reflecting weight dissatisfaction and another, purging behaviors, were identified via principal component analysis [for an Eating Disorder].” Kids are getting EDs because they are concerned about their weight, and using weight restriction methods such as starving themselves, or binge-eating and showing purging behaviors. Kids are using these behaviors so that they can have “a perfect body” but they are doing it in the most unhealthy ways. Studies show that “[e]ating, weight, and shape concerns were also significant in predicting later-onset disorders.” This shows that since kids are worried about their appearance and weight, they can develop an Eating disorder like Anorexia Nervosa (AN) or Bulimia Nervosa (BN). Kids are doing the most unhealthy things to try and get the best body, but they are doing it in ways where they can hurt themselves further.

Another reason why kids should not have to worry about their weight is because it can lead to mental health problems in the future. “The media predominantly attribute overweight to bad individual choices and tend to treat binge-eating disorder as ordinary and blameworthy overeating.” Basically, Social media is saying that kids should have the perfect body and look the best they can, but that's not the case. Saying this can lead to mental health disorders. Statistics show that “One survey of 11–16-year-olds in the UK by Be Real found that 79% said how they look is important to them, and over half (52%) often worry about how they look (23). In our survey of young people aged 13–19, 35% said their body image causes them to ‘often’ or ‘always’ worry.” These statistics prove that when kids start to worry about their weight, it leads them to think they are never good enough and can develop mental health disorders like Depression, and Anxiety.

You might be saying things about how they could diet and it would make things better, but it's not true. “ Common Sense Media made headlines by reporting that 80% of 10-year-old girls have been on a diet and it didn't work. Furthermore, this "horrifying new research" found that more than half of girls and one-third of boys ages six to eight want thinner bodies.” When kids diet, it tends to not work, so then they start to restrict their food more and more until they are barely eating or not eating at all. If a child has to be on a “diet” why does it never work?

kids should not have to worry about their weight because it could trigger an Eating Disorder such as Anorexia Nervosa, or Bulimia Nervosa  in a child, and It could affect a child's Mental Health by giving them Mental Health problems such as Depression, or Anxiety. Kids really should not have to worry this young about their weight. Maybe if people could help kids, and make them feel more worthy of their body, then there would be less of a risk for Eds and Mental health disorders.