#askalyson: teenage boys and eating disorders

my 16-year-old son has embraced fitness during the pandemic. i think it’s great! he’s not getting into trouble, he eats better than he used to, and he’s slimmed down. he doesn’t seem overly focused on his diet or weight, and he seems to be eating all the time.

but when i hear him talk about trying to get a personal best on the rower, or how he is not going to have chips at his nana’s house, something in me tweaks. how can i know if disordered eating is beginning? how can i talk about food with him in a helpful way?

there are also more forms of disordered eating than just anorexia and bulimia. orthorexia, as an example, is a lesser-known disorder. it involves the obsession with healthy eating, so much so that it can compromise one’s health and well-being. here is a list of behaviours from the national eating disorders association  associated with orthorexia:

• compulsive checking of ingredient lists and nutritional labels
• an increase in concern about the health of ingredients
• cutting out an increasing number of food groups (sugar, carbs, dairy, meat, animal products)
• an inability to eat anything but a narrow group of foods that are deemed “healthy” or “pure”
• unusual interest in the health of what others are eating
• spending hours every day thinking about what food might be served at upcoming events
• showing high levels of distress when “safe” or “healthy” foods aren’t available
• obsessive following of food and “healthy lifestyle” blogs on twitter and instagram

• exercise that significantly interferes with important activities, occurs at inappropriate times or in inappropriate settings, or when the individual continues to exercise despite injury or other medical complications
• intense anxiety, depression, irritability, feelings of guilt, and/or distress if unable to exercise
• maintains excessive, rigid exercise regimen despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury
• discomfort with rest or inactivity
• exercise used to manage emotions
• exercise as a means of purging (needing to “get rid of” or “burn off” calories)
• exercise as permission to eat
• exercise that is secretive or hidden
• feeling as though you are not good enough, fast enough or not pushing hard enough during a period of exercise; overtraining
• withdrawal from friends and family