Tweens Starving for Perfection

(CBS)  A recent study found that 81 percent of 10-year-old girls are afraid of becoming fat, and that many feel better about themselves when they're on a diet.

Anorexia is affecting pre-teens more than ever, CBS News correspondent Terrell Brown reported on "The Early Show" Tuesday. And the battle to overcome the eating disorder for "tweens" can be devastating, Brown says.

Ten-year-old Shae Walker was an accomplished gymnast, practicing up to 16 hours a day. But when she decided to quit and focus on her studies and social life, Shae said, she began to have bad thoughts about her weight.

"Probably a month after quitting," Shae's mother, Michele Walker, said, "she would look in the mirror and make comments to me saying she was fat."

Michele told her daughter that was ridiculous.

But Shae began to believe she was getting fat.

"I would pinch the fat on my stomach or what was probably skin," she said. "When I looked in the mirror, it looked to me that I was getting fatter or I was fat. ... I was seeing every imperfection that I had. ... I got a feeling like I wasn't good enough anymore."

Shae refused to eat anything but salad. She exercised compulsively and wore baggy clothes to hide her shrinking frame from family and friends. In just three months, Brown reported, she dropped from a healthy weight of 85 pounds to just 68.

Michele was so desperate, she took a photo to show Shea just how thin she'd gotten.

"It was like I was seeing somebody totally different," Shae said, "because that, compared to the person I saw in the mirror, were way different."

At just 10 years old, Shae was anorexic.

"I felt like, I had almost two personalities," Shae said. "The one that wanted to get better and the one that didn't."

Michele said her daughter mentioned she wanted to die, so it would all just end.

Brown said the situation soon became one of life-and-death. The Walkers checked Shae into an eating disorders clinic, where she was attached to a feeding tube. And there, Shae confronted her fears.

Shae told Brown her eating disorder became almost a person-like figure in her life. At the Remuda Ranch clinic, she gave it the name Ed, short for eating disorder.

After months of therapy, Shae overcame anorexia, and the negative thoughts began to fade. Now 13, Shae has a different view of life.

"I feel confident now," she said. "I can accept myself, no matter how I look."

But many children are experiencing the same things, according to Elizabeth Shaw, executive editor of Parenting magazine.

Shaw told "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez teaching your kids to eat well and giving them a positive self-image early-on is a start to keeping your kids healthy.

She added that, in some cases, family history of anxiety, depression perfectionism and compulsive disorders may contribute to anorexia.

"When you take this predisposition, combine it with dieting, the calorie restriction and the excessive behaviors can really quickly morph into a disorder," she said.

Rodriguez pointed to role models for children.

"I remember when I was a teenager," Rodriguez said, it was bad enough. Now it's even worse."

Shaw agreed.

"(Children are) bombarded and one of the scary things is that some of that anti-obesity message kids are getting in schools sometimes can backfire," she said. "Very healthy kids can become very paranoid about eating fattening foods."

Shaw also suggested parents look for warning signs from their children, such as disruptions in their normal personality like withdrawn, anxious or depressed behaviors.

Shaw added secretive behavior, such as disappearing after a meal to take a shower, are also red flags. Some children use this ruse, she said, to mask their purging.

Shaw said parents should also be watching if their children cut out major food groups or exercise excessively.

If parents notice behaviors like these, Shaw said, parents can start by having the child's doctor talk about the importance of eating from all the food groups, but if it's more serious, she suggested the child may need to be hospitalized.

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For more from Parenting.com on tweens and anorexia, click here.

[somestupidviewer]

This CBS News report is flawed and misleading - not to mention out of date.

The report begins with the following information: "A recent study found that 81 percent of 10-year-old girls are afraid of becoming fat..."

Problem with that - the "report" you cite is not a report it's a marketing piece created to generate interest and funding for eating disorders. Secondly, inside this "report" is a brief mention of the "81 percent" and that is dated 1991 - 18 years ago. That is not "recent". This report goes on to say, "many feel better about themselves when they're on a diet" which is NOT found in the "marketing piece" to which you link.

Yes, it's true eating disorders are an important problem that deserves attention. Enough attention that CBS News should conduct reports with current facts and not tidbits almost two decades old.

I am frightened by this type of journalism. It's terrific that you provide links to additional information, but using a term like "recent" and making things up destroys the credibility of CBS News.

[dragyn30]

This is insane - where did this 81% come from??? What about the news piece on the abnormally high rate of child obesity.

This girl was in GYMNASTICS!!!! I have seen where they (young girls) are hounded for everything that goes into their mouths! Jeez! She quit! Why did she quit??? Maybe because she was sick of being put down for her size and or shape??? Sick of being told she was less than perfect - guess what the damage was done!

Parents and coaches need to be aware of what comes out of their mouths when it comes to kids! No doubt this poor girl some how got convinced that she was not good enough,k but after a month of being out of gymnastics it did not occur to her mother when this poor kid was complaining about being fat that there may have been a problem!!!

I am the mother of two very athletic girls and yes both are in gymnastics, because I know how cruel the sport can be, I watch them and we talk. During the competitive season we do alter what foods we eat but not to lose weight but to keep the body in shape and recover from workouts and competition. I learned from training with other athletes the value of eating right to help my body recover.

There is not enough focus on nutrition with these young girls and all too often they get caught up in the fierceness of competition and they get hurt.

[MiddleClassWorker]

Kids should be afraid of fatty foods, they are bad for them. What they need is a balanced diet, lower on meat and higher on veggies. That and exercise. It's not rocket science, but some parents lose sight of these basic facts, or just don't know good eating habits themselves.

[barbaram99]

Pre teens..Tweens? Pre teens are fearful of getting fat..I think the fear needs to be put to rest. 1 think girls and boys fall in to it. I 'member hearing a little girl talk about dietting..I was appalled. The child was not fat but a proper wt. What are seeing world teaching children in this area of eats ve not eats, As an adult I was 100 lbs. Them I went thru the change of life at 37, I am 54 and 140. I can't lose it. I don't eat much. I never saw myself in the looking glass. I am a blind person with C/P. Years ago we were not allowed pop,candy etc. It was barred. Yet we did have a birthday cake on birthdays. Sweets were were not in the home. We did not get a candy bar when at store. In our day we had recess. We did not watch TV. I can underdtand that they want to be healthy. A skinny girl is not fat. I never gave body image much thought when I was young.

[debinok1]

Well thank you MSM and FDA for the constant warnings about Diabetes, Obesity, Heart Disease, in this country. These little girls have seen this crap to many times and it warps their image of what is healthy. Instead of blasting away at every opportunity, how about focusing on a healthy diet of all foods in moderation. Instead of slamming the news with how bad red meats, sugars etc... are for them, focus on the right portion sizes and good eating habits. It amazes me how many ADULTS do not know that a portion of any meat is the size of a standard deck of playing cards. If the adults don't know, then how can they teach the kids.

[r9119111]

by itsjustathought June 30, 2009 6:57 AM PDT


OMG...what a load of tripe!! If you're going to link the GOP to fear and totally ignore the 'sky is falling...hurry quick...throw money at it and regulate anything that even looks like it might make money' Obama Administration's fear mongering...YOU ARE THE PROBLEM...you twit.

I'll pray for your daughters my new found friend.

[r9119111]

by itsjustathought June 30, 2009 6:57 AM PDT


OMG...what a load of tripe!! If you're going to link the GOP to fear and totally ignore the 'sky is falling...hurry quick...throw money at it and regulate anything that even looks like it might make money' Obama Administration's fear mongering...YOU ARE THE PROBLEM...you twit.

I'll pray for the well being of your daughter myu friend.

[r9119111]

by geminispyder-2009 June 30, 2009 6:12 AM PDT
Truth: Girls turn into women that eventually get over that fear.

Not necessarily so.

[annoyedviewer]

I find it SO hypocritical of CBS to follow this story up with stories about Megan Fox and the Transformers movie and Farah Fawcett - both full of photos of both women showing their beautiful bodies. This after lamenting the barrage of images the media puts out that could be contributing to young girls' obsession with being thin. Shame on you CBS.

[geminispyder-2009]

"Study: 81 Percent of 10-Year-Old Girls Afraid of Getting Fat"

Fact: The US is the fattest nation on earth.

Truth: Girls turn into women that eventually get over that fear.