Do you work with young children or young adults? For people that work with children, parents, or even a youth sports coach you see exactly what children are going through. Need tips to help children and young adults on ways to lose the three D’s? The three D’s stand for dieting, drive, and body dissatisfaction.

According to an article at nationaleatingdisorders.org, “guidelines and strategies for everyone on how to lose the three D’s”

“Dieting, Drive for Thinness, and Body Dissatisfaction

For Parents, Educators, Coaches, and Others Who Work with Young People:

1. Examine, explore, and if necessary, modify the appearance expectations you have about your child or

unborn child (e.g., will she grow up to be pretty, etc.).

2. Examine your own attitudes, beliefs, prejudices, and behaviors about food, weight, body image,

physical appearance, health, and exercise.

3. Replace unhealthy attitudes with healthy ones.

4. Replace extreme eating and exercise habits with more moderate ones.

5. Do not talk about or behave as if you are constantly dieting.

6. Do not “model” or otherwise communicate the message that you cannot dance, swim, wear shorts, or

enjoy a summer picnic because you do not look a certain way or weigh a certain amount.

7. Encourage balanced eating of a variety of foods in moderation.

8. Allow all foods in your home.

9. Encourage eating in response to body hunger.

10. Notice often and in a complimentary way how varied people are — how they come in all colors, shapes,

and sizes. (Show appreciation for diversity and a respect for nature. Link respect for diversity in

weight and shape with respect for diversity in race, gender, ethnicity, intelligence, etc.)

11. Become a critical consumer of the media — pay attention to and openly challenge media messages.

Talk with your children about the pressures they see, hear, and feel to diet and to “look good.”

12. Convey to children that weight and appearance are not the most critical aspects of their identity and

self-worth.

13. Build self-esteem. The most important gift adults can give children is self-esteem. When adults show

children that they value and love them unconditionally, children can withstand the perils of childhood

and adolescence with fewer scars and traumas. Self-esteem is a universal vaccine that can immunize a

youngster from eating problems, body image distortion, exercise abuse, and many other problems.

Providing self-esteem is the responsibility of both parents. Girls especially need support and

validation from their fathers.

14. Encourage open communication. Teach children how to communicate. Encourage children to talk

openly and honestly and really listen to them. Let them know that their opinions and feelings are

cared for and valued. Being encouraged to assert themselves; helps young people say no to pressures

to conform. Feeling loved and confident allows them to accept that they are unique individuals.

15. Encourage critical thinking. The only sure antidote to the tendency to conform to the powerful

seduction of the media and peer pressure is the ability to think critically. Parents have to encourage

critical thinking early, and educators have to continue the mission. We need to teach kids how to

think, not what to think, and to encourage them to disagree, challenge, brainstorm alternatives, etc.

Girls especially need to learn that men are not the ultimate authorities and that they themselves have

something important to contribute.”

Click here to read the complete list of ways to lose the three D’s:

Have a child or young adult that may need nutritional therapy or counseling click here to contact Barbara Cox R.D. at ABC Nutrition Services. We offer different types of services to name a few such as group therapy, weight management, and online counseling. Give ABC Nutrition Services a call or click here to visit our website.