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Eating disorders are on the rise.

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating disorder prevalence increased from 3.4% to 7.8% globally between 2000 and 2018. And according to Johns Hopkins, 95% of people with eating disorders in the U.S. are between ages 12 and 25.

An eating disorder is a focus on food and bodyweight that causes a person to go to extremes when it comes to eating — everything from restriction to binging. They’re more common among teenage girls but can affect teenage boys, too. The earlier eating disorders are diagnosed and treated, the more likely the probability of complete recovery. However, many adolescents go undiagnosed and do not receive treatment until their eating disorder is at an advanced stage.

Teens with eating disorder often try to hide their behaviors from friends and family, so it’s important to look out for these signs that indicate symptoms of an eating disorder:

• Changes in what, when, and how much they eat
• Being restrictive or regimented about their eating
• Unusual weight fluctuations
• Expressing unhappiness with their body or their weight
• Exercising much more than usual
• Spending a lot of time in the bathroom

Prevention is key, and it begins with open communication. Talking to your children about the following will help them understand what it is to have a healthy relationship with food and body image.

• Encourage healthy-eating habits – Discuss how diet can affect your health, appearance, and energy level. Encourage your teen to eat when they are hungry. Eat together as a family.
• Discuss media message – Television programs, movies and social media can send the message that only a certain body type is acceptable. Encourage your teen to question what they have seen or heard.
• Promote a healthy body image – Talk to your teen about their self-image and offer reassurance that healthy body shapes vary. Don’t make or allow hurtful nicknames, comments or jokes based on a person’s physical characteristics, weight or body shape.
• Foster self-esteem – Respect your teen’s accomplishments and support their goals. Listen when your teen speaks. Look for positive qualities in your teen, such as curiosity, generosity, and a sense of humor. Remind your teen that your love and acceptance are unconditional — not based on their weight or appearance.
• Share the dangers of dieting and emotional eating – Explain that dieting can compromise your teen’s nutrition, growth, and health, as well as lead to an eating disorder. Remind your teen that eating or controlling their diet isn’t a healthy way to cope with emotions. Instead, encourage your teen to talk to loved ones, friends or a counselor about problems they might be facing.

If you suspect your teen is experiencing disordered eating, talk with them and reach out to their pediatrician immediately. Visit National Eating Disorders (NEDA) for more information.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-eating-disorders/art-20044635
https://healthyteenproject.com/about-eating-disorders/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-disorders-spike-among-children-and-teens-what-parents-should-know-202204212731

Mumps, diphtheria, polio – these all sound like old-timey diseases you could only risk contracting in the Oregon Trail video game.

However, it wasn’t all that long ago that there were no vaccines for many of these severe and potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella – combined now into the MMR shot – were developed between 1963 and 1969 – only a few years before the original Oregon Trail game itself was developed in 1971.

These diseases are highly uncommon today because vaccines are highly effective when given to very young children, who have underdeveloped immune systems. Some parents worry about vaccinating their infants, having heard that vaccines can cause autism or otherwise hurt their children. However, vaccines are extremely safe. The Federal Drug Administration requires years of development and stringent testing, and monitors use and side effects of vaccines after releasing them.

The idea that vaccines cause autism has been thoroughly debunked. The original study that suggested a link was retracted years ago due to blatantly unethical research methods. There is no evidence that vaccines cause autism in any way. There are often some mild side effects to vaccination, such as a sore arm and occasional mild fever. Very rarely a child will be allergic to a vaccine component and experience more severe side effects (a 2015 study indicates this is literally a one-in-a-million chance). In rare cases, some health conditions, such as weak immune systems or cancer, make certain vaccines not an option for certain children (see a full list broken out by vaccine HERE).

Vaccinating your child also helps protect other children who may be immunocompromised or unable for other health reasons to receive certain vaccines. If you are experiencing any concerns about vaccinating your child, take time to talk to their pediatrician. The doctor will be able to answer any questions you have and help you ensure your child is protected from easily preventable diseases.

Vaccine Safety FAQs for Parents and Caregivers | Vaccine Safety | CDC

Childhood vaccines: Tough questions, straight answers – Mayo Clinic

What Every Parent Should Know About Immunizations (stanfordchildrens.org)

If you’ve ever done a quick Google search on how to thicken your hair, improve your skin, or even help with arthritis pain, it’s likely that collagen supplements popped up.

Collagen, the most prevalent protein in the human body, forms a type of tissue that helps comprise bone, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage. It helps keep your joints healthy and your skin elastic.

The human body makes collagen naturally, but this production can decline with age. Collagen is also reduced by smoking, excess sun exposure and alcohol, and stress. Therefore, proponents of collagen supplements suggest the product will help your joints and skin.

While there are some limited studies that suggest collagen supplements may help with skin hydration and elasticity and joint pain, the body of research is simply not developed enough to promote collagen supplements. Problematically, many of these studies are sponsored by or tied to organizations that would financially benefit from positive study results. Overall, the FDA does not test supplements for safety, and one independent review found heavy metals present in a particular brand of supplement.

While the available research is inconclusive, it has not turned up evidence to deter anyone from taking collagen supplements. There are, however, steps you can take to boost your own collagen production. Eating foods like eggs, dairy products, legumes, fruits, some nuts, and vegetables will provide your body the building blocks to make collagen. Reducing stress, excess exposure, and caffeine and alcohol intake will help slow the loss of collagen you already have.

Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study – PubMed (nih.gov)
Collagen | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Health Benefits of Collagen: Pros and Cons, Nutrition, and More (webmd.com)