Two new eating disorders have appeared in the public health lexicon – Adult Selective Eating and Orthorexia. These two new additions both amount to versions of the same problem. Picky eating.
Selective Eaters tend to veer towards similar textures and tastes, typically bland, processed foods like french fries and chicken fingers. Most five year olds fall into this category, which is normal, but for adults this kind of eating is now considered a disorder. Selective Eaters may be so called Super Tasters, people with ultra sensitive taste buds or may simply have poor childhood associations with food.
Orthorexia, on the other hand, is limited eating based on what at least starts as healthy decision making. First you cut out fat, then salt, then gluten. Experts think that Orthorexia is a cocktail of OCD and anxiety, and it may be a stepping stone to Anorexia.
The idea that overly healthy eating is just as dangerous, if not more so, than overly UNhealthy picky eating is a bit daunting for parents. How do you raise a child to be aware of healthy food, but not so aware that they run the risk of Ortorexia?
Pickiness, the common theme in most eating disorders may offer a hint to parents in helping their kids eat healthy. Whether it’s only eating unhealthy food or only eating healthy food, or not eating at all, the less willing you are as an adult to try new things, the less healthy your diet. Instead of worrying about teaching your kids which foods are healthy, teach your kids to enjoy all sorts of food equally. There are lots of kid friendly treats that will teach your kids to love food in all its diversity without challenging their sensitive young taste buds too much. Consider dried seaweed snacks, for instance. They have an exotic feel, a fun, crunchy texture and their salty, savory taste hits the same spot that a bag of potato chips can.
