Published on NEDIC! Do No Harm

Interestingly, this issue doesn't just relate to schools. We can see the impact of our actions and words about food/body image in all aspects of our lives. For example, consider the impact of a parent who constantly criticizes his or herself in the mirror - what message does this give the child or teen? Or what about when we are with our colleagues and rant on and on about how much we have ate in one setting - what if one of our co-workers has an eating disorder and you don't know? Or what if someone is struggling with a medical condition (there are many, such as cancer, diabetes, celiac's, etc) and they can't eat 'normally' - and your words hurt them?
The message to take away, then, is that our words and actions have a major influence on others - and in fact, they impact our own well-being too. As a society, we truly need to be aware of how we approach food, how we talk about it, and how we 'deal' with it. Food is sustenance. Our bodies make us strong and healthy. We ought to be cognizant and aware of the messages that we spread (intentionally or not) through our words and actions.
