Parent & caregiver guide
Body image, food, and comparison culture
Body image struggles start earlier than most parents expect and are amplified by filtered feeds and locker-room comparison. Not every food change is an eating disorder, but changes deserve attention early — eating disorders are far more treatable when caught in the first months. Focus on function and fuel, never on weight.
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What to look for
Common signs
- Skipping meals, new "rules" about food, or cutting out food groups
- Eating alone, bathroom trips right after meals, or hoarding food
- Excessive exercise or distress when a workout is missed
- Frequent body checking, mirror avoidance, or self-criticism
Do this first
Practical strategies to try today
- 01
Make the family table neutral: no diet talk, no comments about anyone's body — including your own.
- 02
Praise capability and character, not appearance or weight.
- 03
Keep regular meals and snacks on a schedule; structure lowers anxiety around food.
- 04
Curate the feed together and unfollow accounts that make them feel worse.
- 05
Get a pediatrician visit early — ask for a weight-neutral eating disorder screening.
How to bring it up
Conversation starters
"How do you feel about food and your body lately? No judgment."
"Which accounts make you feel worse after you look at them?"
"What does your body let you do that you're glad about?"
Print & use tonight
Worksheets and checklists
Watch
Recommended videos
Where to turn
Community resources
Don't wait
When to seek additional support
- Rapid weight change, fainting, or missed periods — see a doctor now
- Purging, laxative use, or secret restriction
- Food rules that are shrinking their world
Still not sure what your child needs? Care Solutions offers free, non-clinical navigation for families — tell us what's going on and we'll help you find the next step.