Diet culture messaging is prevalent in many aspects of our society, including schools and well-meaning school and daycare providers can inadvertently provide harmful messages about food and body image. Given the strong connection between diet culture and disordered eating (and eating disorders) it is important to protect kids and support them inside and outside of the classroom!
In this blog post, we will discuss some strategies for how to handle diet culture messages that your child brings home from school. Let’s get started!
Diet culture definition
Toxic diet culture refers to harmful societal pressure to achieve a specific body size or shape through restrictive and unsustainable eating habits. In schools, these can include: "good vs bad" food narrative, discussion of food 'causing' diseases like diabetes or heart disease, promotion of fad diets, emphasis on lower weight = healthier, tracking food exercises, weight checks and more.
Lunchbox policing
If you hear that your kiddo's lunch is being "policed" e.g. they are being asked to eat a certain food first or forbidden from consuming one food item before finishing another, it's essential to address the situation to ensure that your child feels comfortable and confident in their food choices.
While the teacher or lunch monitor may have the best intentions, they may be inadvertently perpetuating harmful diet culture messages. The first step is to find out who is monitoring the lunch. Then determine, is this a teacher-specific policy or an official school policy. Then, reach out to the teacher or administration to have a friendly chat about the matter. Remember they are on your side though and try not to make this exchange confrontational. Let them know that you are fully aware of what is packed in their lunchbox and you are trying to promote food neutrality by allowing them to eat anything in their lunchbox in any order. Even if it means eating the dessert first. If there's frequent turnover, you can add a handy "Lunchbox Card" along with your kid’s lunch, requesting that whoever is supervising lunch allows them to consume the foods in their lunchbox in any order they prefer. You can include your name and phone number for any inquiries.
Diet culture assignments
If your child is given a handout or worksheet promoting the idea that some foods are "good" and others are "bad" this can lead kids to feelings of guilt and shame around eating. Kids are black and white thinkers so they may internalize the message and think *I am* bad if I like those foods. This can lead to sneaking, hoarding and overeating when these foods are then made available.
Some assignments, such as food tracking, BMI report cards, and tracking energy expenditure, can also perpetuate harmful messages about food, body size and weight. These promote the idea that body size is entirely within someone's control (FALSE!), thinness is ideal, and that weight loss is always desirable. Diet culture and mental health are deeply interconnected, just like diet culture and eating disorders, so it’s important to promote a balanced and inclusive approach to food and body image at school.
If your child brings home an assignment that promotes diet culture, it’s crucial to address the situation promptly and take action to help them feel empowered and supported.
But you might be asking yourself, how do I address such a sensitive topic? Here’s how:
Ask for a phone call or brief meeting with your teacher, let them know your concerns with the assignments. If the teacher wants to continue with the class assignment you can ask that your child be exempted from the assignment. Ask for an alternative one that aligns with your values and supports your child's well-being. We wan to reinforce the message that their worth is not determined by their body size or weight and that they have the right to feel good about their body and the food they eat, while encouraging them to listen to their body's cues and make choices to feel good and nourished.
Another option is to sit down with your child and discuss the assignment together. This can be an opportunity to teach them critical thinking skills and about diet culture in general. Explain that everyone's body is different, and that there is no one "right" way to eat or look. That "healthy" is a subjective term and means different things to different people. Encourage your child to think critically about the assignment and ask questions about the messages it promotes.
Bottom line: navigating diet culture messages can be a challenge, especially when it comes to our schools. But by taking action and following up with a family dietician, we can help our children develop a healthy relationship with their bodies and the food they eat. Whether it's advocating for your child's needs at school, creating a supportive home environment, or discussing diet culture assignments with your child, every step we take can make a difference!
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