Teenagers sometimes use food to satisfy needs other than hunger. The American Academy of Pediatrics says an adolescent may eat in response to feelings of anger, depression, fatigue, boredom, insecurity and even happiness. From the moment of birth a child learns that breast milk or formula can ease his distress. Family celebrations and holidays are typically filled with food and may cause a child to connect love and caring with eating. Emotional eating in teens can be prevented and managed.
Considerations
Emotional eating is recognized by the National Eating Disorder Association as a type of eating disorder. While a traumatic event such as parents divorcing can set off emotional eating, it's typically in response to ongoing day-to-day stress caused by such things as peer pressure to look and act a certain way.
Misconceptions
One of the biggest fallacies about emotional eating is that it's triggered exclusively by negative feelings, notes KidsHealth.org. Though it's true that some teens may turn to food for comfort when they are lonely and/or depressed, positive feelings related to a budding romance or a holiday dinner can also lead to emotional eating.
Causes
Emotional eating patterns are often learned, according to the Mayo Clinic. A child who is rewarded with a treat for a chore well done or for bringing home a good report card may enter her teen years seeing food as a prize or reward. A child who is given a candy bar so she will stop crying may regard sweets as pacifying. Sometimes teens simply inherit a tendency for emotional eating.
Solution
Encourage your adolescent to not use food to cope with his emotions. If your teen often eats due to boredom, suggest that he undertake a new project or activity, advises StopEmotional Eating.net.
Talk to your teen about how unhealthy eating habits may affect his energy level and appearance and compromise his overall health, recommends the Mayo Clinic.
Professional Treatment
If problems with emotional eating persist, you may suggest that your teen talk to a counselor or therapist. The Mayo Clinic says treatment may include unraveling the reasons behind the emotions, and that the treatment may also include medication and nutritional education.
Also schedule a routine physical exam. A doctor can discuss her eating habits and may offer information about body image and developing an exercise plan.
