WAG Told she gained weight

[cbifoja]

great programme on the telly here about health. They took a cross section of different boy shapes and lined them up with their BMI's on t shirts.

Then they lined them up order of % body fat - different order

Then they lined them up in order of VO2 Max - different order again

basically they said BMI is rubbish

I would love to see that program. it sounds very interesting.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I would love to see that program. it sounds very interesting.

don't know if you can get it "over there", you might be able to with one of those location blocker thingeys

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/p01dgf1w/

 

[kayjaybe]

I am happy that I don't think this has ever been an issue at our gym. We have gymnasts of all shapes & sizes and from what I've seen, size is NOT the determining thing for how well a girl does. (If it were, my little 52" 11 yo would be doing much better. )

 

[thefellowsmom]

don't know if you can get it "over there", you might be able to with one of those location blocker thingeys

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/p01dgf1w/

here is a youtube link

 

[kimskids]

All I can say about this is you never know when one little comment can have a horrible impact on a child. My youngest daughter was only 6 when she overheard a story I was telling. An acquaintance of mine had a 5 year old who choked on a raw carrot. The carrot got lodged in her throat and her mother was not able to help her. The little girl died. Without me realizing it, my daughter overheard me telling someone about this. About 2 weeks later my daughter had turned into a crying, very clingy and moody kid. Finally told me her life was ruined since she was scared to eat.
My daughter had always been a picky eater and more of a grazer. I had honestly not even realized she had not been eating. What followed was a several month period where my 6 year old lost almost 10 lbs. She was very skinny to begin with. She would put food in her mouth and have to spit it out bc she was too scared and could not force herself to swallow it. It was honestly the most horrible thing I have ever been through. Finally with much love and support and counseling she began eating again. It took a long time but today she is 11 and has no lingering affects. I thought she was going to waste away and die. It was so scary.
My point is that one little thing she overheard had a big impact on her. I did not mean for her to hear it but never would have realized how it would affect her! I would have a big problem if anyone mentioned her weight!

 

[mouey77]

[quote="iwannacoach, post: 253446, member: 11515"
I also learned that true anorexia, as opposed to just over doing a strict diet, is a hereditary brain disorder, and if not genetically predisposed, it's not possible to develop anorexia beyond eating too little and saying whoops, I think I went too far. Not that getting to the point of whoops is insignificant, just that it's no more a battle than figuring out how little is too little, and how much is just right.. People with the real deal anorexia, from genetic factors, will not say whoops I went to far, and they'll more likely attribute their fatigue, fainting, and heart palpitations to something they're doing wrong with their food manipulations, like eating the wrong thing, or too much of another thing, anything but eating too little.

You can probably relax if you're concerned that your child has been exposed to a "thin is in" culture, and is about to go off the deep end to full blown clinical anorexia. It's hereditary, so if it's not in the family's history, it's extremely unlikely the child could get it if they tried. Sure, educate yourselves (don't take my word for it) and keep watch over your children and help them understand what a healthy diet is, and what it can do for the common person, as well as the athlete.[/quote]

Not quite that black and white. They have identified a gene marker that appears to be related to anorexia. Think of it like the breast cancer gene marker. It's a risk factor. Even if you do not have that gene marker, you can still develop full blown anorexia. There are so many variables that play into developing an ED that we can't really boil it down to one specific cause. There are plenty, plenty of gymnasts/cheerleaders/serious female athletes (any sport really where body type and weight are important) who develop either anorexia or bulimia.

 

[iwannacoach]

I'm sorry to have spoken in certain terms about something I've heard and read, and will look for more than one source in the future.

I'm curious about the prevalence of these disorders within the gymnastics community, and how the number of cases per thousand kids would compare with the "real world." I have no opinion on this part of the issue other than what I've seen, and wonder if what I've seen is in line with some statistical comparison.

 

[Faith]

I wonder what the prevelance of EDs is for swimmers?

It's not so much of an issue, from my experience. Yes there's the inevitable comparing themselves to friends, but swimmers body types tend to be a much wider range. There's not the aesthetics either, the body is submerged- plus you don't really watch your friends swim- you're either in front or behind.

In sports like gymnastics and dance that initial weight loss may actually increase performance due to strength:weight, before the lack of energy reduces muscle strength.

In swimming the water bouyancy means weight doesn't affect performance so much, and higher body fat can actually improve speed as it changes the body position in the water to a more favourable one. So a kid setting off down the diet path changes their fat:muscle proportions, and swimming doesn't get easier.

I will go check out some stats. I do know there have been plenty of studies done.

 

[mouey77]

I'm sorry to have spoken in certain terms about something I've heard and read, and will look for more than one source in the future.

I'm curious about the prevalence of these disorders within the gymnastics community, and how the number of cases per thousand kids would compare with the "real world." I have no opinion on this part of the issue other than what I've seen, and wonder if what I've seen is in line with some statistical comparison.

I'm a psychologist and worked for 5 years at an inpatient ED facility, so unfortunately, I know more about EDs than I'd like. There is a higher incidence among elite level gymnasts. Some of the personality variables that lend themselves towards being a great gymnast like drive, perfectionism, etc are risk factors. I would think any elite level or professional athlete in many sports have some of these traits though. Anecdotally, I hear of so many elite level gymnasts with EDs (Nadia, Vanessa atler, kristie Phillips, christy heinrich, etc.). But I understand that this has changed in more recent years. All the more reason why a coach should not be commenting on a child's weight gain IMO.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

I already struggle with body image issues with my 9 year old.

 

[LMV]

Let's say there's a gymnast. She has a healthy weight and has always had a healthy weight. She is not tiny and skinny like some, but she isn't overweight.

Her coach says she noticed they are gaining weight. She also points out a few who she noticed gained some weight.

We're talking a girl who eats salads for lunch, smoothies, lots of fruit, skips dessert, and has become obsessive at times and very self couscous about her body. She is one of the ones called out.

What would your reaction be?

This happened to Lucy, aka DD.

In general I tend to believe that coaches shouldn't be discussing weight with their athletes unless said coaches also have MDs [or DOs] and have an established physician patient relationship. I find this an unlikely to occur scenario. If coaches have concerns about weight then I think their best course of action is to recommend the parents arrange for follow up with the child's physician.

I think it is also helpful for parents and athletes to understand that:
-Only in rare instances should children be losing weight. This should not be without medical supervision. [In most cases the best option is to make diet and lifestyle changes and allow the child to grow into their weight.]
-It is healthy, normal, appropriate, etc. for an adolescent female to continue to gain weight throughout adolescence even if she has hit her maximal adult height by age thirteen.
-Fat is an essential nutrient. Certainly too much is far from ideal but our bodies need some dietary fat intake.

 

[amphomma]

So much has been said already. I started reading this thread because I'm a 30-something SAHM who has struggled with body image/EDNOS-type issues since I was a teen, AND because I have two "bean-pole" kids who receive interesting comments on their size, AND because I have a nearly 4-year old girl who adores gymnastics.

I cringe every time someone tells me how tiny my daughter is, especially if it's in front of her. I grew up always being the smallest one in my classes, until I was a teen. Taking some amount of pride in being naturally trim and petite changed into frustration and some really unhealthy dietary choices during high school. I was not a gymnast, but I played field hockey, tennis, and ran long-distance events in track. My energy was so low sometimes from trying to restrict calories!

I hope that as my daughter continues in gymnastics, assuming she does, that she will hear instruction from her coaches that complements what she hears at home: about nutrition, about food as fuel, about being active, healthy, balanced, and comfortable in her own skin. I wouldn't wish my own struggles or worse on anyone at all. For a teenager in an already high-pressure environment, I believe the phrasing could have been more well-timed and well-said. I know gymnastics is intense, and more so as the levels increase. I know athletes need to keep very careful tabs on all aspects of their physical and mental being, to achieve optimal performance. But the wrong comment at the wrong time can have devastating, long-lasting effects.

 

[LMV]

I also learned that true anorexia, as opposed to just over doing a strict diet, is a hereditary brain disorder, and if not genetically predisposed, it's not possible to develop anorexia beyond eating too little and saying whoops, I think I went too far. Not that getting to the point of whoops is insignificant, just that it's no more a battle than figuring out how little is too little, and how much is just right.. People with the real deal anorexia, from genetic factors, will not say whoops I went to far, and they'll more likely attribute their fatigue, fainting, and heart palpitations to something they're doing wrong with their food manipulations, like eating the wrong thing, or too much of another thing, anything but eating too little.

You can probably relax if you're concerned that your child has been exposed to a "thin is in" culture, and is about to go off the deep end to full blown clinical anorexia. It's hereditary, so if it's not in the family's history, it's extremely unlikely the child could get it if they tried. Sure, educate yourselves (don't take my word for it) and keep watch over your children and help them understand what a healthy diet is, and what it can do for the common person, as well as the athlete.

I agree that disordered eating is a behavior [which can have it's own adverse impacts on health]. In contrast, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and compulsive overeating are biologically based brain disorders.

I don't think anyone should bury their head in the sand that anorexia nervosa could never happen to their child even if they have no family history. Genetics behind anorexia nervosa [bulimia, and COE are likely different although not entirely clear either] are still very poorly understood. There definitely seems to be a genetic component to the illness, however, it is certainly not a single gene and it is likely that there are multiple genes, intersection between genetics and environment, and rather variable penetrance. It is generally believed that you do need a nutritional deficient state to trigger AN, however, this doesn't require intentional dieting and can sometimes be triggered just be an energy mismatch during a growth spurt. I do think it's wise for parents to try to avoid this [not just to prevent AN but because nutritional deficient states can have other consequences] if possible. I also think it's great for parents to encourage children to eat a wide variety of foods and to work for balance and adequacy overall over the day/week. Having good/bad foods often sets up a slippery slope that may be regretted later.

 

[LMV]

Not OK. One of my best friends just yesterday admitted her daughter (not a gymnast) to a hospital for anorexia treatment. Her daughter will probably never fully recover from this and it's possible that she may not even survive. This disease has totally ruled their family for over a year now. This is not something to be fooled around with. We have joked about how much sway the coaches have over our kids... how we wish the coaches would tell the girls to go home and clean their rooms because they would do it in a heart beat (rather than whine about it like when we ask them to do it). This "power" can be used for good or for ill. Talking to the girls about the importance of healthy eating is one thing. Warning them that they're gaining weight is another issue all together. I would be very concerned about this.

Hugs to your friend and her daughter. If she hasn't already read about Family Based Treatment that may be something to consider. It is a long road but it seems to have the best outcomes for adolescents at the moment. When her daughter is medically stable and appropriate for discharge this may be a good option for them.

 

[MaryA]

Hugs to your friend and her daughter. If she hasn't already read about Family Based Treatment that may be something to consider. It is a long road but it seems to have the best outcomes for adolescents at the moment. When her daughter is medically stable and appropriate for discharge this may be a good option for them.

Yes, and in fact our book group (which my friend is in) read a memoire that she recommended about a family using that type of therapy with their daughter, I think. I can't remember the title. They have tried so many different things, but mostly it just comes down to that her daughter doesn't seem to want to get better. I am having dinner with my friend tomorrow night... it will be the first time I've had a chance to really talk to her since her daughter was hospitalized.

 

[gymmomtoo]

To answer the original question--I would be furious if my DDs coaches mentioned her weight (or another gymnast's weight) to them! To actually have them recite their weight like Granny Smith's dd's coach had them do is shocking to me!

But I have no problem with offering information about nutrition and eating healthy--my DD's coaches even had them watch a video at practice recently on healthy eating (geared towards athletes).

As far as swimmers--I don't know in general. I do know my youngest (who's in swimming) has been told by her coach that he thinks she's TOO skinny--needs to gain weight to have the endurance to get through the long season.

 

[dani4]

It's not so much of an issue, from my experience. Yes there's the inevitable comparing themselves to friends, but swimmers body types tend to be a much wider range. There's not the aesthetics either, the body is submerged- plus you don't really watch your friends swim- you're either in front or behind.

In sports like gymnastics and dance that initial weight loss may actually increase performance due to strength:weight, before the lack of energy reduces muscle strength.

In swimming the water bouyancy means weight doesn't affect performance so much, and higher body fat can actually improve speed as it changes the body position in the water to a more favourable one. So a kid setting off down the diet path changes their fat:muscle proportions, and swimming doesn't get easier.

I will go check out some stats. I do know there have been plenty of studies done.

I swam competitively as a kid, and for a short time in high school. I agree with this and also want to add that swimmers are judged solely on their time, and no one can argue that you'll be judged more favorably for having "nice lines" that can come from being thin. I don't remember anyone worrying about their weight on the swim team.

 

[gymdog]

I agree that disordered eating is a behavior [which can have it's own adverse impacts on health]. In contrast, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and compulsive overeating are biologically based brain disorders.

I don't think anyone should bury their head in the sand that anorexia nervosa could never happen to their child even if they have no family history. Genetics behind anorexia nervosa [bulimia, and COE are likely different although not entirely clear either] are still very poorly understood. There definitely seems to be a genetic component to the illness, however, it is certainly not a single gene and it is likely that there are multiple genes, intersection between genetics and environment, and rather variable penetrance. It is generally believed that you do need a nutritional deficient state to trigger AN, however, this doesn't require intentional dieting and can sometimes be triggered just be an energy mismatch during a growth spurt. I do think it's wise for parents to try to avoid this [not just to prevent AN but because nutritional deficient states can have other consequences] if possible. I also think it's great for parents to encourage children to eat a wide variety of foods and to work for balance and adequacy overall over the day/week. Having good/bad foods often sets up a slippery slope that may be regretted later.

Thanks for this post - great information that bears repeating - and glad to see you back.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

I already struggle with body image issues with my 9 year old.

I wrote this super quick and just wanted to add that my 9 year old is super thin with little stick legs and abs of steel, a visible 6 pack through her gym suit without flexing.

She trains with older girls and I know it must come from them. But she will occasionally do things like pinch a bit of skin and call it blubber, or jiggle the 1/8 inch of skin on her toothpick thighs and say its so ugly.

I have mentioned it to the coaches and they have always been supportive and spoken to the older girls about watching what they are saying. They have said they are even reluctant to go too deep into it, for fear that one kid (or more) will think that the coach is agreeing with the kid's own idea that they are fat.

It's a scary thing.

 

[LMV]

Yes, and in fact our book group (which my friend is in) read a memoire that she recommended about a family using that type of therapy with their daughter, I think. I can't remember the title. They have tried so many different things, but mostly it just comes down to that her daughter doesn't seem to want to get better. I am having dinner with my friend tomorrow night... it will be the first time I've had a chance to really talk to her since her daughter was hospitalized.

I hope you had a good dinner with your friend. Perhaps you're thinking of Brave Girl Eating by Harriet Brown. Another thing which now seems to coming out of the literature regarding anorexia nervosa is that it can be very hard for someone to want to get better while they are still malnourished (and thus cognitively impacted due to the malnutrition). Essentially someone they need to fix the nutritional deficits and allow some time for the brain to heal before they are able to make good choices and maintain nutritional adequacy. Therapeutic attempts to convince someone to want recovery while they are still malnourished are rarely successful. This is another reason why FBT where parents take responsibility for selecting and preparing appropriate meals and ensuring that they are eaten in the initial phase seems to be more effective. After weight restoration and brain healing then the parents can allow more autonomy and selection regarding food choices.