How to Prevent Anorexia Nervosa

Some ways to prevent anorexia nervosa from developing are as follows:

-If you are a parent, do not obsess about your own weight and appearance in front of your children.
-Do not tease your children about their body shapes or compare them to others.
-Make it clear that you love and accept your children as they are.
-Try to eat meals together as a family whenever possible.
-Remind children that the models they see on television and in fashion magazines have extreme, not normal or healthy bodies.
-Do not put your child on a diet unless advised to by your pediatrician.
-Block your child from visiting pro-anorexia Websites. These are sites where people with anorexia give advice on extreme weight loss techniques and support each other’s distorted body image.
-If your child is a competitive athlete, get to know the coach and the coach’s attitude toward weight.
-If you think your child has an eating disorder, do not wait to intervene and the professional help. The sooner the disorder is treated, the easier it is to cure.

Relapses happen to many people with anorexia. People who are recovering from anorexia can help prevent themselves from relapsing by:

-never dieting; instead plan healthy meals
-staying in treatment
-monitoring negative self-talk; practicing positive self-talk
-spending time doing something enjoyable every day
-staying busy, but not overly busy; getting at least seven hours of sleep each night
-spending time each day with people you care about and who care about you