Prevention begins with open communication

Talk to your son or daughter about eating habits and body image. To get started:

• Encourage healthy-eating habits. Discuss how diet can affect your health, appearance and energy level. Encourage your teen to eat when he or she is hungry. Eat together as a family.
• Discuss media messages. Television programs, movies and social media can send the message that only a certain body type is acceptable. Encourage your teen to question what he or she has seen or heard.
• Promote a healthy body image. Talk to your teen about his or her self-image and offer reassurance that healthy body shapes vary. Don't make or allow hurtful nicknames, comments or jokes based on a person's physical characteristics, weight or body shape.
• Foster self-esteem. Respect your teen's accomplishments, and support his or her goals. Listen when your teen speaks. Look for positive qualities in your teen, such as curiosity, generosity and a sense of humor. Remind your teen that your love and acceptance are unconditional — not based on his or her weight or appearance.
• Share the dangers of dieting and emotional eating. Explain that dieting can compromise your teen's nutrition, growth and health, as well as lead to an eating disorder. Remind your teen that eating or controlling his or her diet isn't a healthy way to cope with emotions. Instead, encourage your teen to talk to loved ones, friends or a counselor about problems he or she might be facing.

Also, set a good example. If you're constantly dieting, using food to cope with your emotions or talking about losing weight, you might have a hard time encouraging your teen to eat a healthy diet or feel satisfied with his or her appearance. Instead, make conscious choices about your lifestyle and take pride in your body.