How to Talk to Your Teen About Food & Body
When is “normal” is not so normal in teens?
It’s important to talk to your kids about their experiences and what they are learning. A parent's job is to listen, provide emotional support, and model healthy behaviors.
Even parents have bad body image days!
Be careful with how you talk about your body image and self-esteem as a parent—your teen absorbs those words and beliefs as they form their own relationship with their body.
Instead of saying, “I look terrible in this outfit,” try: “I am having a hard body image day, but I know my worth isn’t tied to how I look.”
What’s Normal vs. Not Normal
“I ate a lot today”
NORMAL: It’s normal to overeat sometimes. Our bodies know how to regulate hunger and fullness.
NOT NORMAL: Intense emotional reactions, fear around weight gain, or using restrictive eating behaviors to compensate.
RESPONDING: “It is normal to overeat sometimes—your body knows what to do with that. Let’s focus on nourishment and balance rather than guilt.”
“What is this diet? Is this healthy?”
NORMAL: Being curious about diets or questioning whether certain eating habits are beneficial.
NOT NORMAL: Dieting or cutting out entire food groups to change body size.
RESPONDING: TTalk about diet culture and body acceptance so your child learns to be a critical consumer of media messages about weight and health.
“My body has changed since last year”
NORMAL: Talking about body changes with friends, especially during puberty.
NOT NORMAL: Comparing bodies, engaging in extreme dieting, or trying to alter body shape through harmful habits.
RESPONSE: As a parent, love and accept your child as they grow. Reassure them that changes in their body are normal and don’t define their worth.
Supporting Your Teen Through Body Image Struggles
The teen years come with body changes, social anxiety, and academic stress. Diet culture is persuasive, and it’s easy for young minds to fall into disordered eating patterns. Consider ways to support your teen’s mental wellness:
Encourage self-care and stress management techniques like mindfulness and healthy movement.
Help them find balance with school, relationships, and life transitions.
Offer counseling or therapy if they struggle with self-image, eating disorders, anxiety, or depression.
Get Help for Your Teen’s Mental Health
If your teen is struggling with their relationship with food, body image, or emotional well-being, reach out to us today. We offer teen counseling, eating disorder support, body image therapy, and mental health services in Tucson, AZ.
🔹 Book a Free Consultation to help your teen build confidence, improve self-esteem, and develop a healthy relationship with their body.