What is Your Family's Food Culture?
A Panel Discussion on Healthy Eating Habits
(For parents of elementary through high school children. 

Teens are also encouraged to attend)
See below for article about Healthy Eating
Join panelists Barb Duncan, Director of Child Nutrition, Sycamore Community Schools; Anna Guerdjikova, PhD; and Mary Tholking, MEd, LD as they address creating healthy eating attitudes and environment in your family; recognizing symptoms of eating disorders; and medical and psychological complications of eating disorders.
Date: Thursday, November 1
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Sycamore High School Little Theater
Fee: $10/person
 

Healthy Eating
by Anna Guerdjikova

We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat,” and we can all think of examples of the truths in this statement. But are we really paying attention to how our eating habits affect every other facet of our lives?
 

As we rush through our modern, busy days, eating for nourishment has become an inconvenience. Instead, we eat because of stress, boredom, pleasure or other emotional needs. This leads to two major and seemingly contradictory problems: not eating enough and overeating.

Unruly eating behaviors are almost considered normal nowadays. However, they can easily progress into patterns that cause devastating psychological and physical health complications.
 

You may be thinking that this won’t impact you and your family, but consider the following facts:

• 40% of 4th graders report that they diet either “very often” or “sometimes”
 

• Innocent daily “overeating” can actually progress to pathological binge eating disorder, which is strongly associated with mood problems and obesity
 

• An estimated 10-12% of Americans suffer from an eating disorder: anorexia nervosa (3.7%), bulimia nervosa (4.2%) or binge-eating disorder (2-4%)
 

• 40% of newly identified cases of anorexia nervosa are in girls 15-19 years old
 

• Complications from serious eating disorders is the cause of death of up to 20% of people with these disorders

As eating disorders develop gradually, family and friends of the affected person should be the first to notice worrisome behaviors and undertake action.
 

Being informed about those disorders and being able to recognize symptoms of a potential eating problem is the first step.