Is my daughter anorexic? It's a tough question that too many parents struggle with. Should you just ask your child about it? A dietician answers.
Question :My daughter (14) is strange with food. She is very slim, but suddenly doesn't want sprinkles on her bread anymore, but only apple. She drinks a lot of water and only allows herself to snack on the weekend. Not an eating problem in itself (I think), she doesn't lose weight either and says she is happy with her body, but I have to be very careful about it. Should I ask her why she acts like that? Or should I keep quiet about it so as not to put too much emphasis on it? S. DE B., ARNHEM
Answer from dietician Lenny Versteegden: Anorexia is an eating disorder. Someone with anorexia is usually hungry but at the same time an intense fear of gaining weight. You often see that the person in question eats very little but knows how to hide it very well.
Initially – and this is an important fact – the environment does not notice this behavior at all! It also happens that the person in question wants to get the food out of the body immediately with the help of laxatives, water tablets or by inducing vomiting. You don't notice this quickly either.
The most notable feature of anorexia is weight loss. In the long run, girls/women usually have no menstruation. Refusing to eat will seriously endanger health in the long run.
There are a number of things in your story that concern me and that you should keep a close eye on. Should a slender girl of fourteen be concerned with nutrition already? Notable is the excessive drinking of water. If you drink water, you feel full faster, so you no longer feel like eating. This fits somewhat in the image of her 'conscious' eating pattern. What should be ruled out is that she drinks too much water because she is simply very thirsty (which is part of diabetes).
Because you have the feeling that something is not right, and because it is difficult to put your finger on such behavior, I think it is good to discuss it openly with her. But if you are really in doubt, I would first choose to discuss this with your doctor. The sooner the better. Even if you have doubts, your feeling gives you a clue and your instincts don't lie to you very often. Talk to your daughter about it too.”
More tips on how to deal with a daughter with anorexia.
