Resisting puberty
Girls who are active in gymnastics, figure skating, diving, or dancing may feel pressured to stay the size and shape of a little girl. The stars in these fields, whom your daughter wants to emulate, have prepubescent body builds. Young girls in these sports may restrict eating to delay puberty, even though they may not be conscious of doing so. They may balk at eating even the minimum requirements set out in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
If your daughter starts to develop womanly curves, her coach may wrongly ask her to go on a diet. Or there may be more subtle suggestions that she's no longer the right size. A comment like "That costume doesn't work -- it's way too tight now" is enough to make any young girl question her shape. Talk to the coach or trainers to be clear about their attitudes to body shape and health. If they are inappropriate, consider another club.
Or maybe the criticism comes from within your daughter. Standing in front of a floorlength mirror during ballet practice places an exaggerated emphasis on the body. You can count on her to compare her body shape with the bodies of the other girls in her class. You can also be sure that she'll want to be more like the thinner girls.
Limiting food in adolescence can jeopardize your daughter's health by stunting her growth. It can also delay or stop menstruation, which may weaken her bones and increase the risk of fractures. Worse yet, dieting can evolve into an eating disorder. If your daughter is developing large breasts, her balance will change, too, and she may not be able to do triple pirouettes the way she used to.
Your attitude is pivotal. Your daughter needs to know that her body hasn't betrayed her. She needs to be reassured that the world is still filled with opportunities for her. She needs to feel valued as a person, not just for her abilities on the parallel bars. If she decides to participate less in the sport, she may need your help and guidance filling the time she once spent in the gym. If your family has basked in the reflected glow of your child's talent, helping her change direction can be a difficult task. You, too, may have a hard time letting go of your child's dream of being an Olympic gymnast.
For more information on sport nutrition and sport-related eating disorders, contact the Sport Medicine and Science Council of Canada.
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